Nobody Knows The Truth
by Atlantic Jewel
Summary: The sequel to Sacrificial Bonds, the fifteen ninja have been transported to a strange world that the Sand Ninja know. Are Emma, Mari and Kai still alive? And who's trying to kill them all? Prepare for the triquel!
1. What Is This  A Hospital?

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER ONE

What Is This – A Hospital?

_I think I need to disclaim this…I don't own Naruto, I just own Emma, Mari, Kai and Hoshi – who's Hoshi? Read to find out!_

Nothing made sense. Nothing looked like it should. Nothing was comfortable or comforting. Nothing felt right.

The only thing he recognised was the sun.

_Ouch, my eyes hurt...I'm such an idiot…note to self, don't look at the sun…it's dangerous…_

He was an attractive boy of seventeen, with dark golden hair and dark eyes. His face was designed with dark purple markings, like a kabuki mask.

_Man, that's something Naruto would do…_

He was wearing all black, and had three scrolls on his back. His name, was Kankurou.

Kankurou sat up groggily, pausing as his head felt light.

When he was quite sure that he wasn't going to keel over on the spot, Kankurou stood up and had a look around.

He was in a park of some description. It was the middle of the day, but there were no people around, which made Kankurou think – what's happening?

What had just happened?

Kankurou thought back to the events recently prequel to this moment. The day had started out normal. He had gotten up, gotten dressed, gotten 'painted', eaten enough breakfast for about ten ninjas, had a fight with his older sister Temari about where to go for the Christmas Holidays, and then walked outside in a huff, before – BAM! He saw a whole lot of bright blue and ultraviolet purple, before he found himself lying on his back, in the grass, staring stupidly at the sun.

He really had no idea what had just happened.

_I wanna go back to bed…_ Kankurou whined to himself, as he trudged across the grass. _And I wanna dream about her…_

Life had been like this ever since that eventful day, three years ago. She had come, she had trained, she had kissed, she had left. In other words, Kankurou and his siblings had brought her and her friends back to their world, trained them to be top-ace ninja – but it was all part of a sacrifice that went horribly wrong. Before she and her friends had been burned to death along with Garaa's former Moon God body, she had kissed Kankurou, on the lips of course. She, was Emma, and her friends were Mari and Kai. Their deaths had been mourned sadly.

It was like this all the time now. Kankurou would act normally around his friends and family. But, at night, as he lay in bed, he would dream of Emma. In the dreams, she was alive and well, beautiful as always and more then just his very best friend.

Secretly, Kankurou was obsessed with her memory.

After all, it was partly _his_ fault that she was dead.

Contemplating this as he usually did, Kankurou walked into a one-storey building, and his eyes lit up.

"SASUKE-KUN! SASUKE-KUN! SASUKE-KUN!" Sakura screamed.

Sasuke shuddered inwardly. 1

Sakura had just latched herself onto his arm, like a leech sucking blood from a mammal. This wouldn't have been so bad, having a girl (even if it _was_ Sakura) clinging to him like this…except for the fact that she wasn't the only one.

Ino was on his other arm, sobbing hysterically. She had no real reason to cry, she was just scared, like Sakura. But Ms. Sugar-Hair was handling it better then Ms. Blonde-Hair. Still, Sasuke could feel her shaking.

_Sasuke_, on the other hand, felt like _howling_ in pain. He had a large cut on the left side of his face, and a black eye on the same side.

But Sasuke was tough. He was cool. He wasn't going to cry.

Inner-Sasuke: WAHAAAAA! MUMMMYYY!

They were walking…err…shuffling…down a street, with one or two other random people on it.

Three things were wrong:

1) Ino's wailing was attracting unwanted attention from the suspicious strangers, and what were they thinking?

2) What _was_ that strange blue and purple light back there?

3) Where were they?

"Sasuke-Kun, where are we?" Ino whimpered.

Sasuke scowled. "How should I know?" He stared at something across the road. "Uh oh…"

A group of Anti-Women Violence Protagonists were staring at him.

"YOU'RE SO MEA-EAN!" Ino screamed, and burst into a fresh wave of tears.

Sasuke telling the story to somebody later on: "And then I must have looked at them the wrong way, because suddenly I was running for my life!" (From The Simpsons).

#Switch to a shot of a street, coming from the left and then turning straight down, with buildings all around it. A black dot (Sasuke) runs along the road, followed by a lot of other dots (the mob)# (From Family Guy).

Ino and Sakura just stared at him, Ino's tears having dried instantly. Together, the two of them laughed. It felt good to be friends again. And it had been Sasuke whom had brought them back together again. Well, Sasuke and Rock Lee. The two boys had organised a recent party, where everybody whom was everybody had been invited. However, they had cornered the two girls before hand, and forced them to do the unthinkable – switch identities. They had been reluctant (boy, is _that_ an understatement!), but Sasuke and Rock Lee had been firm. Do it. Or else.

So, Sakura had donned a blonde wig and worn sunnies for the whole night, and Ino had put pink spray in her hair and found some blue contacts. Ino-Sakura had worn a flared red dress and hidden her forehead to hide its not-so-bigness, and Sakura-Ino had donned a rich purple wrap-around dress and hidden her big forehead.

Only Rock Lee and Sasuke knew about the 'switch'. And so, when the two girls had spoken to other people, they had learned a lot about 'themselves'.

For example:

Ino-Sakura: "Say what?"

Naruto: "Yeah, remember, you told me. You only ditched Ino because you thought you wouldn't stand a chance to get Sasuke if you two were friends. You said it was because she was always cooler and prettier then you were (not)."

Ino-Sakura: "I said that?"

…

Chouji: "Yeah, Rock Lee _totally_ has a thing for Sakura!"

Sakura-Ino: "He…does?"

Chouji: "Ah, yeah, he, like munch, told much us ages, munch, ago…"

Sakura-Ino: "Do you _ever_ stop eating?"

…

Needless to say, they were now the best of friends again. And all it had taken was Rock Lee, and Sasuke/Mr. Cool.

The two besties followed him.

Rock Lee, at that very moment in time, was searching for Sakura. He was with another member of his team, a girl with dark brown panda-styled hair called Tenten, Chouji-the-bottomless-pit and Temari, Kankurou's older, blonder, sister.

They weren't in the best of spirits, except for maybe Rock Lee. Why? Because Tenten had sprained her knee (she refused to be carried, and walked along, wincing), Rock Lee and Chouji were both dehydrated because of the sun and the lack of water within the last two hours (which was how long they'd all been awake for), and Temari wasn't physically injured, but this 'wasn't a good time of the month for her', and therefore she was in a rather bitchy mood.

They were walking along a beach, searching for not only Sakura, but anybody else familiar. All they saw were beachcombers in boardies and bikinis that were hardly there, and the occasional dog.

"Where are we?" Tenten finally asked, collapsing onto a stone wall and resting her sore knee.

"How should I know?" Temari snapped back, shadowing Sasuke's earlier retort to Ino.

Tenten, however, did not start to cry, but she did scowl, and say: "I was just asking, jeez. And I thought your brother was bad!" She added.

"Which one?" Chouji asked, as he pulled a packet of potato chips out of his pocket and began munching away.

"Both." Tenten mumbled. The beautiful young girl stared out at the sea, and noticed Temari looking in the same direction.

Temari's eyes had a faraway look, and she was muttering something under her breath.

"What's that? Did ya say something?" Tenten asked her, in an irritated voice.

Temari said: "I think…that I've been here…before…"

They practically pounced on her. "WHEN!?!?"

Temari held up her hands to silence them. "It's just that…oh, I dunno…this place feels so…so much like…" Her gaze drifted out, as a dolphin leapt over the waves. She smiled, almost to herself, and muttered: "That fish-like creature…"

Inner-Temari: "Dolphins are mammals, ya know?"

Temari: _Course I knew that. Shut up._

Inner-Temari: …

Suddenly, Temari's eyes bugged out, she stopped talking to her Inner-Chibi, and watched a scene unfold before her very eyes. The other followed her gaze and, when they saw what was happening, they too adopted Temari's startled and shocked expression.

A huge black Great White Pointer shark (it's contradictory, I know, but Whities can actually be black which, to me, is the scariest colour any shark can be, but them especially) was stalking the playful dolphin, hunger in its endless black eyes (I like endless eyes, cremello ponies – pink skin and white hair with blue eyes – have them). It rolled its eyes back, showing the whites to protect its pupils, before moving in for the kill.

Tenten gasped.

Suddenly, a figure hurtled itself out of nowhere, practically running on top of the water to reach the same 2.

It was a girl, kinda short but with a nice and curvy figure, wearing a yellow bikini and a pink baseball cap, over her long honey-chestnut hair. Her feet, they could see, were glowing with that blue chakra that most ninjas have, and she was intent on reaching the shark before _it_ reached the _dolphin_.

"Why…it's…it's a kunoichi 3!" Tenten cried.

Temari face was absolutely white.

The female ninja cried: "To save iruka! I love fish!" And hit the shark with a flying ninja kick.

Inner-Temari: "DOLPHINS AREN'T FISH! MAMMALS! M-A-M-M-A-L-S! AAUURRGGHH!!"

Temari: _Quiet, you_!

"Omigosh!" A chip fell out of Chouji's mouth and back into the bag, as they all watched the shark sail through the air and land some ten kilometres away from the beach.

Everybody was staring at the girl in her sunglasses, as she stood on the water like some sort of a Jesus figure (Amen), and said to the dolphin: "Sayonara, Iruka!"

The dolphin swam around her in a circle, before clicking 4 it's thanks to her.

It then swam rapidly away, probably to deal out some of its own damage to the poor shark. 5

The girl then noticed everybody staring at her, and waved cheerfully, before striding back onto the beach.

Up close, she was quite an attractive girl with a nice figure to fill out the bikini top (if you know what I mean) and nice curvy hips. Her skin was a nice tanned colour, and it was obvious that she frequented the beach, judging by her sun-kissed skin and sun-hugged hair (nice sayings! I made up the second one myself!)

Temari was staring at her, as if she'd just seen a ghost.

Because she had.

The girl suddenly turned to the group of four hanging around by a stone wall, and she gasped.

A familiar gasp.

Temari gasped as well, and the others looked almost as shocked as she did, because they too knew this girl, except for Chouji.

But this girl…

She _was_ a kunoichi.

She _did_ have chakra.

_HOW ON EARTH CAN SHE WALK ON WATER ALREADY!?!?_

Temari cleared her throat. 'Err..umm…is that you…umm…"

The girl removed her sunglasses, revealing eyes that were as clear as a summer sky, and yet as green as an ocean. Freckles dotted her cheeks, and there was some sort of a random piercing just above her lip and to the right (which one is that, Marilyn Monroe or that other chick…is it Mandy Moore, or Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera, tell me!?!?) but there was absolutely no mistaking this sixteen year old girl, staring at them just like they were staring at her. Her eyes. Her chakra. Her voice (although also now matured). Her red tattoo, identical to Garaa's, but in a different place.

It was…_her_…

"M…" Chouji said. (For 'Munch', which he did so, four chips at a time).

"A…" Tenten added.

"R…" Rock Lee supplied.

"I…" Temari finished, weakly.

"Chan?" They all said together.

The girl's eyes glazed over, before being replaced by a look of pure and absolute joy, which bubbled up right from her pure heart of gold.

"Hello Chouji-Kun! Rock Lee-Kun! Tenten-San! Temari-San!" she squealed, bounding forward in two gigantic leaps, covering the ground between herself and Temari. "Oh, Temari-San!" She cried, again, and Temari found herself being hugged by, and hugging, the overjoyed Mari.

"Akamaru," Kiba declared. 'I get the feeling that we're not in Konoha anymore." 6

Akamaru barked, but it was the white-eyed boy behind Kiba that answered, with: "Oh jeez, dya' think?" Neji snapped these words, scowling, and trying not to show the pain of having two broken arms. Well, one was broken, and one was sprained, according to his cousin, Hinata, but they still both hurt like shit. That and the fact that he was getting the most _gigantic_ headache of all time, and everything was pissing him off, as it usually always did. But he was cool, he would remain mature, as long as everybody else around him shut up.

"Come on you guys, please don't fight." Hinata pleaded, cleaning the blood from her elbow onto a handkerchief.

Kiba, Neji and Hinata were standing around on a beach, with Naruto, Shino and Garaa. They weren't really doing anything special – they also had no idea where they were or why they were wherever they were – but Hinata was cleaning her wound, Neji was in pain and getting pissed off, Kiba was talking to Akamaru, Shino was examining a very large long black cylinder-shaped bug that kept curling itself into a tight little ball all of the time 7, Naruto was examining the grazes on his knee with rapt interest (they were very impressive looking) and Garaa was just staring at, what else, the sun.

It was the only think the red-headed boy recognised, but soon his eyes started to hurt, and he had to look away.

Hinata spoke up again: "Please, Neji-San, try to think, like everybody else is doing. Why would we have all been sucked through a purple and periwinkle vortex, as you called it, and into another world?"

"Beats me, Hinata-Sama." Neji shrugged his shoulders, addressing his cousin more formally then what she did him, because she was in the main branch of the family, and he wasn't. Hinata was okay, he guessed. Still a bit shy, but okay. It wasn't her fault that she was born into the hierarchy and he, Neji, was not.

Neji was still way cooler, and way stronger.

At least, that's the way he felt about it.

Garaa was staring into space now, thinking to himself: _This place…the way it feels…the air…everything…it all feels so…familiar…like I've been here before…_

Shukaku: "Of course you have, baka! It's, like, _sooo_ obvious!"

Inner-Garaa: "Care to explain that, Tanuki-Eyes?"

Shukaku: "Hrumph! Take sone to know one!"

Garaa: _Shut up you two, I'm trying to get my bearings!_

Shukaku: "You baka 8! I tried to tell you! We're in…"

"If we're all here, you know, us, including _him_," Shino spoke up, and they all knew that the _him_ was dark-eyed Tanuki 9 boy behind them. He had cut off Garaa's 'coversation' with 'himself'. "Then the…"

"Others must be here!" Naruto finished with a cry of: "Believe It!"

Hinata giggled, but still blushed.

Inner-Hinata: "I love youuuu, I've loved you all along…" 10

Inner-Hinata was very different from normal Hinata. She said everything her outer-self wouldn't – couldn't – say. Hinata was very thankful for that fact, because it meant that _she_ herself didn't have to embarrass herself with those sorts of words.

"You mean, everybody else?" Kiba questioned.

"Sure." Naruto replied.

"Why not?" Neji shrugged, again.

"Could be possible." Shino added.

"But then where are they?" Hinata wondered, out-loud.

"Coming." Garaa suddenly said, surprising them all.

And, sure enough, Sasuke, Ino and Sakura were walking down the beach towards them. And, they had someone with them.

"OMIGOSH!" Hinata and Neji cried at the same time, ignoring the fact that they had spoken in unison.

Garaa was also staring at the boy, and couldn't hide his shock.

"I thought that you were supposed to be dead." He bluntly said.

Inner-Garaa: "_Groan_…"

He was tall, much taller then Sasuke, Sakura and Ino, about the same height as Shino (I dunno, is Shino tall?). He was Malaysian, with smooth, darker-coloured skin, and warm, chocolate brown eyes. He was wearing a white shirt with a red tie, black work pants and too-shiny black shoes. He had a formal black jacket slung over one arm, and he carried a briefcase in that same arm. In the other hand was a donut (Chouji would've been very impressed). He was older now, exactly the same age as Temari, and was wearing a scholarly-looking pair of business glasses, but he was standing in much the same fashion as what he always did, and his warm eyes were alight with only the joy that he could posses.

"It's nice to see you too, Garaa-Sama." Kai replied, a smile warming up his handsome a face. He looked around at them all, most of them nursing injuries. "What is this – a hospital?"

**Well, there's my long first chappie!**

**Shino: Meg, you'd better give them a glossary, because you used a lot of strange words in there.**

**Meg: I did? Oh, well, okay then…**

**1 In my own Naruto fantasy, Sasuke never left with Lord Orichimaru. I know, I know, that's bad of me to pretend, but let's also pretend that it REALLY happened, okay?**

**Garaa: No.**

**Meg: Shut up, Tanuki-Eyes!**

**Garaa: :(**

**Meg: Uh oh… Runs for her life, and continues…**

**2 Same is the Japanese word for shark. It's pronounced Sa (as in SAsuke) and me, like met without the t. (Me, like met without the t, is also Vietnamese for Mummy or Mamma!) And you MUST know that iruka means dolphin, because of Iruka-Sensei…"**

**3 Kunoichi is the Japanese term for a female ninja. It's pronounced COO-no-ii-chee (is in cheese without the se).**

**4 According to the Dolphin Diaries series (great books, read em' if you can find em'!) dolphins communicate via clicks, pops and whistles, and they actually sound really beautiful!**

**5 Dolphins often attack sharks, and can even kill the, just like in Flipper, but Mari probably just wanted to show off her chakra.**

**Mari: Noooo! I wanted to save the good fish from the bad fish!**

**Inner-Temari: MAMMALS!**

**Meg: Mari-Chan, Inner-Temari-San, shoosh up…**

**6 Dorothy says something similar in The Wizard Of Oz: 'Toto, I get the feeling that we're not in Kansas anymore…'**

**Kiba: I quoted a **_**girl**_**? Outraged**

**Meg: **_**Yes**_**… Testily**

**7 It was a Portuguese Millipede, they're everywhere, but **_**really**_**, does this even **_**look**_** like Spain to you?**

**8 Baka is the Japanese word for fool, or idiot.**

**9 Tanuki is Japanese for Racoon-Dog…but you knew that…**

**Shukaku: **_**I**_** did…**

**Meg: I knowww… (Singsong Voice)**

**Shukaku: Grrr…**

**Meg: Eep!**

**10 Hinata sung the first lines of the chorus from Nickelback's song, Faraway.**

**Shikamaru: WHERE THE HELL AM I!?!?**

**Meg: I'm getting there, Shika-San, calm down…**

**Shikamaru: No. Too troublesome.**


	2. Apart From My Messy Apartment

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TWO

Apart From My Messy Apartment

After Mari had finished hugging Temari to death, she hugged Tenten, and then Rock Lee, before turning around to face a startled looking Chouji.

"Hullo." She said, matter-of-factly. "My name's Mari. It's nice to finally meet you, Chouji-Kun."

Chouji, for once, was not eating. He just stared at her, and said: "How do you know my name?"

Mari giggled, and quickly explained about her source of knowledge. Chouji was astounded (well, who wouldn't be? Imagine if YOU had a TV show all about you!).

"Mari-Chan…" Temari said to her, and Mari turned away from a dazed-looking Chouji, to see Temari staring at her with glazed eyes.

"Yes, Temari-San?" Mari replied.

Temari said: "I…we…we all thought that you were…you know…dead?" She finished, lamely.

Mari sighed. "Shall I tell you the story of what happened at the end of our stay in your world?"

The others glanced at each other, before nodding.

Mari added: "Okay then, let's go and get something to eat, and I'll tell you there. We'll get fish and chips."

Temari gasped. Had she just heard right? Had Mari actually said the dreaded 'f word'?

Mari caught Temari's confused and puzzled expression, and giggled.

"One time," She said, as they started walking. "We had to kill and gut a fish in Food Production Class. I was petrified, but the teacher said that I would've failed the class if I hadn't. And so, I performed 'IKI JIMMY' on this huge salmon, and got it filleted, which I put on the stove and battered with a beer! I aced the class!" She finished, happily. "Ever since then, I ain't 'fraid of no fish no more!"

"It was painful at first," Kai said, as they sat around on the grass and ate donuts. "Getting burned that is," He added, before eating a miniature strawberry-iced donut whole.

Hinata watched him in awe. She was also sitting next to Naruto, if you'll believe it (Naruto: BELIEVE IT!), and next to her was Sakura, and then Sasuke, with Ino on the other side, Neji was sitting on the grass opposite them, and Garaa was sitting off to one side, apparently bored out of his mind (he did eat the cinnamon donut that Kai gave him, however). Kiba and Akamaru were positioned nearby (people kept on staring at Akamaru) and Shino was leaning against a tree. Kai himself was retelling his story to them all, and getting acquainted with those whom he hadn't met before.

"But then my whole body went kinda numb…" Kai continued.

"Just like ice…" Mari shivered.

"We couldn't feel a thing…" Kai told them.

"And later on we bled…" Mari remembered.

"But the scars from the burns…" Kai proclaimed.

"Healed over in time…" Mari announced.

_But not quite all of them…she touched the scar on her neck, and wished she was somewhere else…with him…_

"Wow." Temari said, when Mari had finished her tale. 'That's some story!"

"So you're alright now?" Tenten asked the honey chestnut-haired girl, and Mari nodded.

"Oh, yeah, sure." She said. "I graduated from school, and I'm studying Marine Biology at TAFE. It's fun." She said, simply. "I missed you guys a lot, though…hey, Chouji-San, that was my chip! But seeing you on the television was better then nothing. You probably had a harder time, not being able to have anything to do with us _at all_."

_Just like my brother…_Temari thought, thinking of Kankurou and wondering where on earth – either one – he was. A thought struck her just then, and she leaned across the table to Mari.

"Hey, Mari-Chan?" She urgently said.

"Mmm?" Mari was drinking Strawberry-Milk with a straw.

"What about the other two?" Temari stated. "Kai and Emma?"

Mari's eyes lit up. "Oh, _those_ two! Well, you see, Kai also graduated and goes to university, where he's studying Palaeon…uh, the study of fossils and things like that. Science-y stuff, but not like mine. He wears a suit all the time, too, he's moved out of home so he doesn't have to deal with 'the steps' and he's fine. You just _have got to_ see him when you're here."

"And Emma?" Temari pressed.

Mari glanced down at her deep-fried fish. "Welll…Emma is…"

"Mari used to live with her Grandma," Kai was saying, as they polished off the last of the donuts. "But she died last year – oh, yeah, we all went to the funeral, and everybody except for the guys (including me) cried when they played 'No More Cry' by The Corrs – contradictory, huh?"

"_If it's true what people say/there still is beauty in each day/we find comfort in her strength/and one day soon we'll meet again…_" Hinata sung.

"Yeah, I'd say that'd do it." Sakura realised. "Is Mari okay?"

Kai nodded. 'Yeah, she's fine now. She still misses her – we all do – but the real big thing is that Mari's parents came back after they abandoned her as a five-year-old girl, and wanted to make amends!"

Ino gasped, and Sasuke said: "And did she?"

Kai shrugged. "Depends on how you look at it. She moved into the apartment building next-door to me, she won't live with her parents, but at least she still talks to them."

"Are they nice?" Naruto wanted to know, eyeing the last donut.

And again, Kia shrugged. "They're okay, I guess. For parents. Although I wouldn't know, would I? Anyways, Mari's studying Marine Biology – she's not afraid of fish anymore, because she gutted one in her last year of highschool, and that got her a pass in Food Production. So now she's at TAFE, and still has that crazy tattoo on her forehead."

Garaa glared at him.

"Oops, sorry Garaa-Sama." Kai grinned sheepishly. "So, how's life been for you? Enjoying being Kazekage?"

Garaa replied: "Enjoying poking in on my personal life?"

Kai laughed, to Ino's relief, she had been just about ready to throttle the red-headed Sand Ninja.

"I'll take that as a yes," Kai smiled. "How about Kankurou and Temmy-Chan? How're they getting on?"

Inner-Hinata: _Temmy-Chan_? Where'd _that_ come from?

Garaa shrugged (boy, everybody sure was doing a lot of _that_ lately), and replied: "My sis's okay. She's crushing on…"

CRASH!

A split-second of awesome-looking violet and cobalt light appeared above them, if you had blinked you would've missed it, and Shikamaru crashed to the ground next to Ino, whom shrieked and grabbed onto Sasuke's neck.

Inner-Sasuke: _OWWWCCHIEEESSS!_

He sat up, and looked dazedly around at the people sitting there before him, staring at him open mouthed, except for Garaa, whom simply just said: "Shikamaru." Finishing his sentence, and the conversation, once and for all.

Shikamaru noticed Kai. "You're alive." He said, in a bored sort of a voice.

Kai smiled, again. "Hello, Shikamaru-San – or should I be calling you Dono?"

"Hi, Kai-Kun. San is fine." Shikamaru spotted the donuts box, and snatched away the last one before Naruto could.

Inner-Naruto: HWROOAAARGH!!! Angry Kyubii stomps around angrily.

Kai suddenly stopped. "Wait…Garaa-Sama…you said…"

Garaa wasn't answering him.

Inner-Garaa: All hell's gonna break loose now…

Shukaku: Ye-hes!

_Garaa: Shine!_ 1

Kai turned to Shikamaru-donut-in-mouth, and demanded to know: "You…and Temm…T…Temari…are you…you know…???"

Shikamaru exchanged a meaningful glance with Ino, before Ino looked at Sakura, and the three of them nodded.

"All's fair…" Shikamaru stated.

"In love…" Sakura added.

"And war…" Ino finished.

"Let the lady decide." Neji suddenly put in. He was getting pissed off – again. He stood up, and said: "Can we _please_ get going?"

"Where to?" Kiba asked, good naturedly.

Neji paused.

"I thought so." Kiba said, and stood up too. He faced Neji and, very clearly, he said: "Hyuga, you have more of an onset of juvenile male PMS then Garaa-Sama does."

Inner-Kiba: Uh oh, things are gonna get rrrowf now!

Hinata, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Ino, Kai, Shikamaru and Shino (well, we just assume Shino) all sweatdropped as their mouths hit the grass with a clunk.

Neji and Garaa looked furious.

Inner-Neji: He just insulted both of us! Me_ow_ most of all! Get him!

Inner-Garaa: That was soooo mean…

Shukaku: Should we crush him, or rip him apart limb by limb?

Neji clenched his fists, and activated his Byakugan.

"Neji-Kun, no!" Hinata cried, and jumped up, grabbing his arm.

Inner-Neji: Me_yoowwww_!

But there was nobody to hold Garaa back, as he activated his sand.

"Garaa-Sama, don't do it!" Sakura cried.

"You're changed, remember?" Ino added, still clinging onto Sasuke like a leech.

"Sand…" Garaa moved his hands.

"NO!" Everybody else except for Neji and Kiba shouted.

"OTOTOU-CHAN!" 2 Screamed the shrill voice of Temari.

"SABAKU NO GARAA!" The mature voice of Mari shouted.

Everybody stopped what they were doing, and all eyes swivelled as Mari and Temari strode quickly into the park, followed by Chouji, Rock Lee and Tenten.

Temari's face was a mixture of fury and slight fear.

Mari's face was shock and, when she spotted the rest of them, joy.

"Mari-Chan!" Sakura and Ino yelled at the same time. "Guess what! We're friends again!"

Mari let out a whoop. "Tomodachi 3!" She yelled, and ran towards them, flinging herself into their arms, toppling them all onto the grass, as they started to laugh, and Sasuke sweatdropepd and backed away, inch by inch.

As Mari was hugging Naruto, Shikamaru and Sasuke, and introducing and explaining herself to Shino, Kiba and Akamaru, and Tenten and Rock Lee were sweatdropping some more, Temari was lecturing both her brother and Neji.

"_If I EVER_…" She started. "_If Hinata hadn't…_"

"HINATA-SAMA!" Mari shrieked, and flung herself at the white-eyed Hyuga girl. Hinata caught her, as Temari, Garaa and Neji all sweatdropped.

"Call me San." Hinata told her. "It's good to see you again, Mari-San."

"Hinata-San!" Mari replied. "I missed you heaps!"

Hinata and Mari hugged, before they broke apart, and Mari went to hug Neji.

He held up his arms. "Don't." He said.

"They're broken." Ino supplied.

"I don't care!" Mari replied and, before Neji could stop her, she had flung her own arms around his neck. "Neji-Dono!" She said, and Neji blushed. He wasn't used to be called Dono, much less being hugged by a girl at her own free will.

Mari pulled away from him then, and turned to face Garaa.

"Hullo." She said to him.

Garaa didn't say anything.

"Am I permitted to hug the Kazekage?" Mari asked him.

Shukaku: NO!

Inner-Garaa: Yes!

_Garaa: Shut up, or I'll pawn you!_

They both shut up.

Garaa nodded slightly, and Mari put her arms around him, hugging him like one might hug a porcelain doll.

Garaa surprised everybody – including himself – just then, by putting _his_ arms around _her_, and hugging her back.

"Aawww…" All of the kunoichi said as one, causing the two huggers to break apart, blushing.

"Umm, so…you wanna camp out at our apartment for awhile?" Mari mumbled, to change the subject.

"The guys can stay at my place, and the ladies can stay with Mai – except maybe Temari?" Kai finished with question.

"No." Temari replied, flatly.

"Awesome!" Rock Lee said. "We have a place to stay!"

"Yeah, sure, why not? You in, Ino-Chan?" Sakura turned to her blonde best friend, and Ino gave her the thumbs up sign.

"Alright! We're gonna go!" Naruto cried, pumping his fist into the air. "Believe It!"

The male ninjas all stood at the entrance to Kai's apartment.

Garaa stopped in his tracks. "So this is a nightmare…" He muttered.

"And I thought that _I_ was lazy…" Shikamaru mumbled.

"Look at all that food he ate…" Chouji blinked.

"Look, there's a cockroach…" Shino pointed.

"Is that _mold_?" Sasuke gasped, dramatically.

"It is terrible!" Rock Lee cried.

"Do we have to do this?" Neji was still very pissed off.

"I don't think we have a choice…" Kiba mumbled.

Akamaru: "Bark!"

"You've gotta be kidding!" Naruto cried.

"Nope, this is it." Kai replied, chiding them all into the abyss.

"I don't believe it…" Sakura said.

"It's like…" Ino added.

"A black hole…" Hinata supplied.

"But pink and yellow…" Tenten finished.

"Typical Mari-Chan…is that a _pink_ kingyo 4?" Temari pointed.

Mari sighed happily and jingled her keys. "Sure is. Home sweet home." She smiled.

**Well, hope this chappie was up to the critic's standards, but even if it wasn't, C'est La Vie!**

**Shino: Meaning?**

**Meg: Kepasa!**

**Shino: Significado?**

**Meg: BE HAPPY!**

**Everybody Else Except For Shino: Oh. (Sweatdrops all around…)**

**Shino: Meg, there's more words you need to explain…**

**Meg: There is…oh, so there is. Thanks Buggy!**

**(Guy from One Piece scowls).**

**1 Shine, pronounced SHE-Ne (ne as in net without the t) is Japanese for 'die!' or 'shut up!'**

**2 Ototou is Japanese for little brother. Temari (rather bravely, I think) calling Garaa Ototou-**_**Chan**_**, signifies that he is her **_**youngest**_** brother, and she would presumably call Kankurou Ototou-**_**San**_**. That's just what I think, anyways.**

**3 Tomodachi, TOW-MOW-DUH-CHEE (is in cheese without the se) is the Japanese word for friend. Mari saying it to Sakura and Ino after learning that they are besties again probably signifies that she's glad to be able to refer to them as that again and that, in **_**her**_** eyes, they're **_**all**_** friends.**

**Mari: It was you, who showed me I've got a friend in you…**

**Meg: Yes, Mari-Chan, a very nice rendition of Ashley Ballard's 'It Was You'. Very nice indeed.**

**Inner-Meg, Inner-Kiba and Akamaru: Howoooooowwwl…**

**Neji: I need ear-plugs…**

**Mari: SHINE! Clobbers him angrily with a big Amy Rose (Sonic X) like hammer.**

**Kiba: Hey, how come my Inner-Chibi says rowf instead of rough?**

**Neji: And how come mine doesn't say me, it says me**_**ow**_

**Meg: Because Kiba's a wolf and Neji's a cat. End of story.**

**Naruto: What's mine?**

**Meg: Fox, 'course. And Garaa's is racoon-dog…**

**Garaa: Mochiron. (Of course).**

**Chouji: What's mine gonna be?**

**Meg: Uh…I haven't decided yet…**

**Inner-Meg: Hippo, cow or porky pig?**

**Sakura: What's mine?**

**Meg: Flamingo.**

**Sakura: What?**

**Meg (Sweatdropping): ONWARDS!**


	3. Fellow Insomniac

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER THREE

Fellow Insomniac

Temari lay on the fluffy pink sofa in Mari's apartment, wearing a borrowed pair of yellow pyjamas with lacy frills on them. Sakura's were much worse – the pink-haired kunoichi had a nightie to match her hair, and it was silky and…see-through!

"I'm glad that there are no boys in here." Sakura had said, as she donned the pink silk.

Ino had agreed, wearing a bougainvillea set of shortie-jamas, and Tenten had on a yellow large shirt that said 'Perth Glory' and a pair of tight fitting but comfy pale pink stretch pants, and Hinata was wearing a pale yellow cotton nighty with a silken pink bow at the front. Everything in Mari's apartment was either pink or yellow, or both, fuzzy, silky, velvety or cottony, and there were a number of sakura trees 1 on the small balcony.

The girls had all trooped into the apartment complex at about eight at night. The boys had followed them in. They had separated, saying sleepy goodnights to each other, muttered things about their accommodation, before doctoring their wounds and 'hitting the hay'. Mari was asleep in her bed – apparently she no longer had trouble sleeping – and the other girls were spread unstratigically around the place. Tenten was sprawled out on another sofa bed, with Hinata curled up next to her. Sakura and Ino were both sleeping on a fuzzy pink rug on the floor, sharing the same blanket (which was yellow).

Temari, however, couldn't sleep. She was just too worried. She was worried, of course, about Kankurou. Where was he? Had he been sucked through the vortex as well? Or was he still in Suna, wondering where she and Garaa were?

Either way, Temari knew it would be a _loong_ time before she fell asleep. She sighed, turned over to stare out of the window, and stared at the moon.

Kankurou himself was staring at the same moon as his sister was. He was perched on the branch of a large tree defined as oak, and wondering what he was going to do next.

With Emma still on his mind, he thought back to where he had been all afternoon, and how he had landed himself a job as, not surprisingly, a puppeteer at The Spare Parts Puppet Theatre. He had learned the name of this place he was in through trial and error – Fremantle, Australia.

So, Fremantle was the town, and Australia was the continent. That was simple enough. Kankurou knew where he was in regards to astrology – the planet Earth.

Emma's former home.

Kankurou sighed again, and looked sad. He was missing Emma, yet again. So, what else was new?

Oh, yeah – he was sleepy.

Suddenly, a voice broke through his reverie.

"Hello, fellow insomniac." It said.

Kankurou fell out of the tree.

He crashed to the pavement, and scrambled to his feet, gazing at the stranger in the moon and street light.

It was definitely a female, around 5'4f, and around his age too. She had on a simple short black dress with no sleeves, white sandals and a red trucker girl's cap, which was perched on top of her head amongst a mass of raven coloured waves. Her eyes were shining, and a rich violet in colour, with golden rims.

"What did you just call me?" Kankurou asked her.

"I said fellow insomniac." She said. "That _is_ what you are, isn't it?" She peered at him scrutinisingly with her amazing-coloured eyes.

He had to shake his head, and say: "No."

"Oh." She replied, and the light died in her eyes. "Well, do you need a place to stay for tonight?" She asked him.

He shrugged. "Yeah, should be good." He replied, feeling strangely awkward around this dark-eyed girl.

"Okay, here then." She said, tossing him a set of keys with a black guitar decoration, as well as one of Emily Strange. Kankurou caught them, and just stared at them in his hand.

"My car's a black Lancer parked just down the road there," The girl said, pointing in the opposite direction. "You can use it tonight, I'll see you tomoz." She winked, and turned to walk away.

"Wait!" Kankurou said.

She paused, and half turned towards him.

"Yes?" She asked, and he noticed a nice pair of silver crescent moon earrings with seven-point-stars hanging from her earlobes.

"What's a Lancer?"

Her face blanked for a second, before she smiled and said: "A car. Don't worry, it's the only on there."

"My name's Kankurou." He said. "What's yours?" He added.

She paused, before replying: "I'm Hoshi. Dozoyouroshiku 2." She added, before turning away, and disappearing into the night.

Kankurou just stood there, staring after her.

**A shorter chappie, but vital nonetheless.**

**Shino: Translations…**

**Meg: YOU do it this time, Shino-Dono! I'm too tired!**

**Shino: **_**Fine**_** then!**

**1 Sakura trees are cherry blossom trees. Note how Haruno Sakura has pink hair, and the colour of cherry blossoms is pink.**

**2 Dozoyouroshiku, pronounced Doe-Zo (as in so) You're, a cross between an A and an O – shiku (probably more just shku), means pleased to meet you in Japanese.**


	4. Phone Call

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER FOUR

Phone Call

The next morning, the kunoichi awoke to the smell of waffles.

Mari said: "Come on you guys, breakfast is served!"

The sat down and ate at the table, before getting dressed and going next door to see the boys.

They were still asleep, but were soon awake, thanks to Sakura and Ino. The boys ate a speedy breakfast of two-minute-noodles, dressed, and accompanied the girls downstairs.

"So, where are we going today?" Kai asked them all.

Temari and Garaa exchanged a significant glance, and nodded, before Temari turned to them all and spoke for both her and Garaa: "I'd kind of like to go looking for Kankurou, if you don't mind."

Garaa nodded his head in agreement.

"Fine." Mari replied. "What about the rest of us?" Suddenly she grinned. "Oh! I have the _best_ idea! Why didn't I think of it before!?!?" She grabbed the two nearest hands next to her, which happened to belong to Chouji and Sasuke. "Come on! Let's go!" She cried, dragging them down the street with surprising strength and speed, followed by Ino, Sakura and Lee.

Inner-Sasuke: MY FACE! MY BEAUTIFUL FACE! IT BURNS! IT BURNS!

Kai sweatdropped. "I know where she's going." He muttered, and smiled brightly at Temari. "So, where are you going to look for your brother first?"

Temari sighed. "That I don't know. Garaa and I…we can sense Kankurou's life energy, so we know he's _here_, but we don't know _exactly_ where…"

"Emma could sense Kankurou's life force." Garaa said suddenly. "Really well." He added, and they all looked at him. He blinked. "What?"

"Never mind." Neji rolled his eyes, and then winced in pain.

"Neji-San, are you alright?" Hinata asked him in concern.

"What does it look like?" Neji snapped, holding up his two injured arms.

"Don't talk to Hinata that way." Naruto put a protective arm around Hinata, and glared at Neji.

"You should go to the hospital, Neji-San." Temari said.

"I'll survive." He mumbled back.

"Neji-San, you _need_ to go to a hospital." Temari replied.

"I told you, I'm _fine_." Neji muttered.

"YOU ARE GOING TO A HOSPITAL EVEN IF MY BROTHER HAS TO USE HIS SAND TO CARRY YOU!!!" Temari finally shrieked, her 'woman-problems' finally catching up to her.

Everybody except for her, Neji and Garaa sweatdropped.

Finally Neji sighed, loudly, and resigned himself to saying: "_Fi-ine_, _Mother_." He said this rather uncouthly, and nobody was surprised when Temari slapped him.

"Baka." 1 Temari muttered. "Come on Otouto." She said to Garaa, as she spun around on her heel and marched away. "We're going."

Garaa rolled his eyes, and trotted off after his older sister.

Kai was about to bolt after them (mainly after Temari, because he was calling her name) but Tenten grabbed his sleeve.

"Hold it mister!" She barked, and Akamaru cocked his head to one side, as the panda-haired Leaf Ninja with a double-digit-double-number name said: "Do we have any idea where this hospital is? No, we do not! So you're coming with _us_!"

Kai glanced at her knee. "Stings like shit, eh?"

She blushed. "Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that…" Her eyes hardened. "But that's not the point!"

"We also need you to say that we're your cousins." Kiba added, to save the situation from turning ugly. "Otherwise people might start asking questions."

Kai looked at Hinata, Naruto, Tenten, Neji, Kiba, Akamaru, Shino and Shikamaru, and frowned. "More or less then they already will?"

Mari knocked on the door of a house in town. They waited patiently for half a minute, before the door opened.

A raven-haired girl wearing sunglasses stood there, and her hands flew to her hips.

"Mari, what do you want?" She snapped.

"Ohayo!" Mari chirped, undaunted by the girl's cold nature. "I'm here for the favour you owe me! I wanna watch your TV for awhile!"

"Mari, you're just strange." The girl replied, inching out past them and onto the front walk. "I don't care what you do, I'm going out." She walked off down the street, long black hair swinging wildly over her shoulders.

"Nice girl." Sasuke commented sarcastically, as they walked into the house and Mari shut the door behind them.

"Who was that?" Lee asked, at the same time as Ino asked: "Where are we?"

Sakura giggled.

Mari grinned sheepishly. "That girl works with Emma, and I did something for her awhile ago, so she owed me something. This is her parent's place, and they get Fox Tel." She walked into a large room, with a large TV. "And, if I'm correct in assuming what time it is, something's on TV," She clicked the remote on. "That you'll all wanna watch."

They settled themselves onto couches and the wolf-fur rug, as the TV's surround-sound stereo blared on and nearly deafened them all.

"You mentioned Emma?" Sakura asked, and Mari glanced over her shoulder at Sakura, who was sitting on the couch between Ino and Lee. "How is she?"

"She's alright." Mari said. "Only her parents…"

"OOOHHH MMMYYY LLLOOORRRDDD!!!" Ino, who was looking quite happy that Sasuke had chosen to lean his lead against her legs, screamed suddenly, making them all jump. "III DDDOOONNN'''TTT BBBEEELLLIIIEEEVVVEEE IIITTT!!!"

"_If you believe it, you can be somebody – you can be somebody, if you believe it…"_ The opening theme-song man of Naruto sang.

"It's us." Sasuke was shocked.

"I do not believe it." Lee's eyes and mouth were opened wide. "I cannot believe it."

"It's amazing." Sakura's eyes were shining, and she and Lee both leaned forward.

"That's me!" Ino screamed, pointing to herself on the screen. "I'M ON TV! YAY!"

Mari smiled.

While Neji was in the hospital getting his arms fixed up, Tenten was having her knee X-Rayed and Naruto and Hinata were being bandaged up for good measures, Chouji, Kiba, Shikamaru, Shino and Kai hung out in the waiting room, talking about guy-stuff.

Kai had made Kiba leave Akamaru back at the apartment, saying that the large dog could guard his and Mari's rooms.

Kiba had only gone along for Hinata's benefit.

Chouji found a vending machine by the door.

**You are getting hungry…** It told him.

"Oh yeah…" Chouji's mouth watered as he stared at the chips and chocolates inside of the box.

**It's time for a snack!** It added.

Chouji nearly had a heart attack. "Kai-Kun!" He cried. "How do I get my food!?!? How does this machine work!?!?"

Kai handed him a five dollar note, to shut him up.

Naruto and Hinata came out together, wearing very dramatic-looking bandages. Tenten swung out on her crutches ten minutes later to join the group, and they were joined not long after that by Neji, sporting two bandaged up arms, and the left one was in a sling.

An old-looking doctor was behind him, and he smiled at the group. "Well, I'm glad to have been able to help the cousins of Kai." He nodded at the Malaysian boy in question, and added: "Give my best to Mari and Emma, alright?"

"Will do." Kai replied, as the doctor walked away. "Take care!" He called.

Tenten settled herself onto a waiting room chair, next to Hinata and Naruto who were examining each other's bandages.

"How does that doctor know Mari and Emma?" Kiba asked Kai.

Kai watched as Chouji got visibly annoyed at the vending machine that had eaten his money, and spoke to the others: "That doctor was involved with helping with Mari's 'fish-phobia'." Kai stared out the window. "And…he saved Emma's life."

"What?" The others all said as one.

"When her parents tried to kill her…" Kai appeared to be talking to himself, and so was startled when a nearby pay-phone rang.

"What the?" He muttered, and reached for it. The phone was off the hook for a nano-second, when they all heard three voices scream: "IS THAT YOU!?!?"

"It's Anko-Sensei!" Hinata, Kiba and Shino cried.

"And Gai-Sensei!" Tenten and Neji both added.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto gasped and leapt towards the phone with lightning speed. In an instant he had grabbed it out of Kai's hands. "Are you there?"

"Naru…???" The phone went dead.

Naruto stood there, staring at the phone like it was the alien, and not him.

The eight of them, plus Akamaru, all exchanged a many-sided glance. "You've gotta be _kidding_!" They all cried.

**Ooh! Now what's gonna happen? What does that phone call mean? Did Temari and Garaa find Kankurou? Who was that weird girl? Where the hell is Emma? Why can't I get a date? Read on, most (but not all) answers will be revealed.**

**Shino: Me again! 1 Well, there was only one anyway, so baka means idiot, or fool.**


	5. What Does Emma Really Deserve?

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER FIVE

What Does Emma Really Deserve?

They all decided to go out for dinner that night – _they_ being Kai, Naruto, Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba, Sasuke, Lee, Garaa, Neji and Shino, and Mari, Sakura, Ino, Temari, Tenten and Hinata.

"We'll go the Cascarillas." Mari announced, flinging a dozen or so shopping bags at the kunoichi. "Got a lot of F-I-S-H to eat there!" She added with a grin, as Kai and the onmitsu trooped into his messy room to find something to wear.

Sakura, Ino, Tenten and Hinata giggled.

Temari just sniffed. She and Garaa were both in bad moods, because they hadn't found Kankurou yet. Knowing that their older/younger brother was wandering around out there somewhere, in God knows what kind of trouble, wasn't very comforting. The fact that Kankurou seemed to attract trouble like a magnet didn't help.

The group all walked down the street together, towards the train station. (Those from Konoha/Suna knew not what a train was, but they were about to find out.) Kiba had been resigned to; once again leave Akamaru behind, so he was also in a bad mood. And Neji's arms were hurting again, so he was pissed off.

But everybody else was happy, and chatting merrily.

The kunoichi looked so pretty!

Not all of Mari's clothes were yellow and pink, and the others suspected that she had gone shopping that afternoon (several receipts found lying around on the pink kitchen bench had confirmed this). So although she was wearing a yellow sundress with pink leather boots and a cute pink ribbon in her hair, the other girls had been relieved to have found other coloured garments instead, even if they were all sundresses (which were all Mari could afford at that time).

Now Temari was wearing a white sundress with a yellow sunflower on the front of it, and a pair of white sandals. Sakura and Ino had been delighted to find matching dark blue sundresses, although Ino's had a black waist tie and bow, and Sakura's had a red waist tie and flower. They both wore black shoes with straps that laced up around their legs. Hinata was wearing a pale blue sundress with a sun on the front, and a moon on the back, with a pair of gold-coloured ballet-slippers and a light pink ribbon in her hair.

Tenten had been much harder to dress, since she had a massive cast on her leg and crutches, but Mari had eventually managed to get her into a dark blue sundress, which had a black clip around the waist and, to make up for the fact that she was only wearing one black ankle boot, Tenten was wearing a wild array of wild flowers in her hair, one from every kunoichi and herself – a yellow daffodil from Mari, a pink rose from Sakura, a bunch of violets from Ino, some pretty little white flowers from Hinata, something called a bottlebrush from Temari, and she herself (Tenten) had chosen a single yellow sunflower, which sat in the middle of her two buns.

She was getting pretty good at using her crutches, and swung along next to Hinata and Naruto, the latter who was wearing blue jeans with an orange and dark blue striped top.

Inner-Hinata: I think I hate that top, but I won't say it.

Inner-Naruto: I hate this top, but I can't say that out-loud.

"Nice top, Naruto-San." Hinata smiled at him.

"Thanks." He replied.

Inner-Naruto: She didn't mean that…

Tenten giggled, and kept on swinging.

In front of them, leading the way, were Mari, Kai and Chouji. Kai looked very handsome in his high-collared white top and black pants, and was chatting about what it was they might order at the restaurant with Mari and Chouji, who were walking on either side of him.

"Hey Chouji-San?" Mari spoke up, when Kai reached a resting place.

"Mm?" He glanced at her, a little bit annoyed with her because she had told him not to eat anything and save room for dinner.

"You look really cute in that outfit." Mari's cheeks were pink.

Chouji glanced down at his green and grey skater boy top and grey pants, and blushed. "Thanks." He mumbled.

Inner-Kai: Wait a second…

Behind Tenten, Naruto and Hinata were Lee, Sakura, Ino and Sasuke, in that order. Lee was wearing something a little out of character, it was still dark green (his top) but now he wore a pair of black pants similar to Kai's. He didn't seem to mind though, and was telling Sakura, Ino and Sasuke the riddle about which 'pan' is delicious but you can't eat it (pan means bread in both French and Japanese) and they were trying to guess it. Sasuke was wearing a black top with a metallic blue sun-like symbol on it and dark blue jeans.

"_Pan wa pan demo taberarenai pan wa nanda_?" Sakura repeated, racking her brain for the answer.

Beside her Ino just shrugged. Sasuke thought about it hard, and Lee smirked, knowing that they'd never get it right.

Behind them were Kiba and Shino, talking about which was smarter – _mushi_ or _inu_ 1? Kiba was wearing a red top and blue jeans, and Shino wore a black top, black jeans and his sunglasses, of course.

Behind them, Garaa and Temari weren't talking – they were worrying. Well, Temari was. Garaa was just thinking. And he looked so cool, dressed all in black (top, jeans, leather boots – the works) and looking as if he didn't really care what was happening.

Neji, walking slowly behind them and wearing a white top and black jeans, also didn't care – but he was also in a lot of pain, and that was why he was silent.

Stonily silent.

They reached the train-station and Mari and Kai bought tickets for everybody.

"Here comes the train!" Mari called, stepping out onto the platform.

"Wow!" Hinata, Naruto, Sasuke, Lee, Ino, Chouji and Kiba all said, as the train glided neatly to a stop before them.

"How am I gonna get on?" Tenten complained.

Lee helped her.

They piled onto the train, and were delighted to find that they could all get a seat. They took up the whole of the back of the train, in seats of two:

Sakura and Ino sat together, giggling and trying to get the answer to Lee's riddle.

Lee and Sasuke sat in front of them, and leaned over their seats to talk to the two girls.

Across from Sakura and Ino, Naruto had claimed a window seat, and invited a blushing Hinata to sit next to him, and she did, smoothing out her skirt and trying not to faint.

It helped that Kiba and Shino sat in front of them, and Kiba talked to them often – Shino just stared out the window at the passing evening scenery.

Mari and Kai sat in front of them but Mari, who had claimed to aisle seat as her own for some reason, was chatting to Chouji across that aisle, about chocolate cake and why it wasn't a sin to eat a whole one for breakfast by yourself (she had some good points, too) which both she and Chouji had done (but you wouldn't know it from looking at her) on more then one occasion.

Chouji was sitting next to Shikamaru, who was talking to Temari sitting in the window-seat next to Garaa in front of them.

And across from Garaa, Tenten was sitting in the aisle next to Neji, and she had given up talking to him, and was listening to music on Mari's MP3 Player. She especially liked the song _Blue & Yellow_ by _The Used_.

"Weee're heeere!" Mari sung out after awhile and, with a little bit of help, they all piled off of the train.

"Wouldn't it be ironic?" Kiba said suddenly, as they trotted across the grass. "If somebody said something _really_ random right now?"

"FRYING PAN!" Sakura screamed.

"Like that." Kiba sweatdropped.

"No, it is not random!" Lee announced. "Sakura found the answer to the riddle! Pan is delicious – but what kind of pan cannot be eaten!"

"A frypan!" They all cried out (except for Garaa and Neji).

Kankurou was in charge of handing out programmes. The Spare Parts Puppet Theatre also did a lot of live-action performances, and tonight they were putting on an outdoors one. It was called _Nobody Knows The Truth_, and Kankurou thought it sounded perfect – maybe a little _too_ perfect.

Kankurou missed Emma.

"Come one come all!" He called. "Nobody Knows The Truth – well, does _anybody_ know the truth? Tonight at seven PM, in the park by boatshed A!" He handed out some programmes to a group of people.

Inner-Kankurou: Hey! I don't even _know_ where boatshed A is!

"Hi, we meet again." A voice said in his ear, and Kankurou jumped a mile. When he landed again, he found himself face-to-face with…

"Hoshi, hi." He said, a little relieved to see her. "What are you doing here?" He then took a look at her outfit – a black leotard, stockings and black face-paint. "Oh…you're in the play?"

"Sure am." She said, twirling around a little to show off her costume. "I play _'Night'_."

"Cool." Kankurou said, just as Hoshi's phone beeped in her pocket.

"Hey, it's nearly six-thirty." Hoshi said, taking Kankurou's hand and starting to walk away. "Let's go."

Inner-Kankurou: Kanky one, life zero!

Kankurou was in total awe of the play. It was about two gods (goddesses?) called Day and Night, who were trying to win the affections of another god called Junee 2. The play was filled with lots of suspenseful music, and skilfully choreographed dancing.

It wasn't what he was used to but still, Kankurou was in awe. And Hoshi was great.

Trouble was, so was _Day_.

Why was that trouble? Because every time Kankurou looked at the actor (actress?) playing _Day_, he felt a sudden cold rush in his chest. Dread? Fear? Relief?

Kankurou didn't know – but he wanted to find out.

Soon…

"Ooh." He winced half an hour later, as _Day_ vanquished _Night_ and got her guy.

Oh well. Life was tough.

Inner-Kankurou: Yay Day!

"That was a great performance." Tenten said, and the others had to agree.

"Say, wasn't that the girl from the house today?" Sakura asked Mari, who nodded.

"That's Hoshi." Mari replied. She frowned. "But the actress playing _Day_ was…"

"Mari-Chan! Oh, Mari-Chan!"

Mari was practically bowled over then by another person, dressed all in white.

"Mari-Chan!" She cried, and the others stared at her white leotard, tights, hair-dye and body-paint. She didn't even notice them. "I'm gonna come over tomorrow for a bit, after I see my boss! Later!" She ran off just as fast as she'd appeared.

They all stared after her.

"Mari-Chan…" Sakura gasped.

"Was that…" Ino blinked.

"Could it have been…" Kiba muttered.

"I don't believe it!" Temari and Garaa said in unison.

"Believe it." Mari said, winking at Naruto, who blushed.

"That," Kai spoke up. "Was the new and improved version of Emma."

"Emma…" Temari and Garaa murmured.

The next day, Kankurou was hanging around out the front of his work, for no apparent reason, but it looked like he was waiting for Hoshi (which he wasn't) because she ran out and into his arms the second she finished work.

"You look happy." Kankurou commented, gently detaching himself from her.

"Oh, I am!" She smirked. "My least favourite person just got the sack! So now _I'm_ the best actress here!" She grinned. "Wanna go out for lunch?"

Kankurou was about to say yes, when the doors to the building swung open, and a girl came running out. She pushed past them without a word, in tears, and Hoshi yelled after her: "Good riddance, Emma!"

Emma!

Kankurou turned about three shades paler then, and started to sweat a cold sweat.

"Hey, are you okay?" Hoshi asked him.

Kankurou shook his head to clear it. "N…no…I'm gonna…I'm gonna go…err…somewhere…" He pulled away from her and started running after the girl.

"But I…" Hoshi called after him.

"Tomorrow!" He yelled over his shoulder at her.

"O…kay…" Hoshi blinked.

Kankurou wasn't sure if it could be true…

But if it was…if it was _the_ Emma…

Tears sprung to his eyes, as a light rain started to pour.

Emma burst into Mari's apartment in tears, to find all of the ninjas sitting around a table, playing Babanuki 3.

They all looked at her as she crashed through the doorway.

"Emma-Chan?" Kai got to his feet.

"Emma-San!" The onmitsu yelped.

"It can't be!" The kunoichi cried.

"You're soaking wet!" Mari leapt up, and took Emma by the shoulders. "Your rain gear didn't do you any good, did it?"

"No…" Emma burst into tears, and Mari hugged her.

"Did you talk to your boss?"

"And get fired? Yes!" Emma was hysterical. "I'm gonna get kicked out of _another_ house!"

"Emma-San?" Sakura stood up then.

And Emma, with her face hidden by her rain gear, noticed her for the first time.

"Emma-Chan?" Temari stood up too, wondering why on earth her eyes were watering.

"Emma-Sama." Garaa got to his feet, and walked over to Emma.

"Garaa-Sama?" Emma blinked, and started to remove her rain gear.

Suddenly the buzzer on Mari's door beeped.

"Yes, what is it?" Mari asked the doorman.

"There's a strange-looking youth here asking for your friend Emma." He said. "He's wearing all black, has dark eyes and strange face-paint…"

"KANKUROU!!!" Temari, Kai and Emma shrieked.

"Oh no…" Emma added, as Mari yelled: "SEND HIM UP! KANKUROU! YES!"

Emma's raingear fell to the ground, as she backed away from the door.

Neji stared at her, this older and very beautiful Emma.

"Emma-Sama?" He said to her.

She looked down at him. "Please, don't follow me Neji-Sama…" She whispered, and fled to the balcony. They heard her clattering down the fire-escape, as Kankurou burst into the room.

"Where is she?" Were the first words out of his mouth. His eyes were wild and panicked, and he was shaking from head to foot.

"Nice to see you, Kankurou-Kun." Mari said, shaking her head, and shutting the door. "Why, Emma's just…" She looked around. "Umm, guys – where'd Emma go?"

"Where is she?" Kankurou asked again.

"She fled down the fire escape when she heard you were coming." Neji replied, feeling strangely pleased – why should he be so happy?

"Maybe you should go after her?" Temari nodded at Kankurou.

He took off running straight away, flinging himself outside and into the rain. He could hear Emma's feet on the fire-escape stairs, and leapt over the balcony, using his ninja-skills, landing on the ground.

"MASUIKI!" Emma's voice rang out, and she appeared further down the street.

She continued running – but Kankurou had one more trick up his sleeve.

"BUNRAKU!" He shouted, and did the hand seal, as blue Chakra-strings appeared from his fingers. They shot straight at Emma.

Emma sensed them coming and, in the middle of the pouring rain, she turned around and shouted: "BUNRAKU!"

Her own Chakra-strings shot out, meeting his in mid-air.

They entangled with each other, but stayed connected.

Kankurou started to reel her in.

She dug in her heels, but he insisted.

"Why are you running away from me?" He called to her eventually, when she was about three-feet in the dirt from digging in her heels.

She didn't answer at first, and he began to get frustrated. "What did I do wrong?"

"It wasn't you…" She said. "It was me…"

"What?" He was surprised.

She suddenly moved her hands, dissipating the blue Chakra-strings.

"I thought you were dead!" He added, sure that would help.

"I've been watching you for three years now…" She kept her eyes down. "And I just know…I can no longer be your girl."

"Who said anything about you being my girl?" She looked up, and he smirked a little. "Emi-Chan – you're my _woman_."

Inner-Emma: OH MY GODDDDDD!

"Kanky-Chan…" Emma burst into tears. "You're my man!" She ran forward, Kankurou opened his arms and, for the first time in three years, the two of them embraced, as a ray of sunlight broke through the clouds.

"Hallelujah." Kai trilled.

"Ooh…" Mari sighed.

"Aaw…" Said the other kunoichi.

"Lucky bastard…" Most of the onmitsu intoned.

"Hmph." Said all but one of the others, including Garaa, indifferently.

If Neji wasn't pissed off before, he was certainly pissed off now. His aura was scary.

Very scary…

**Yet again, we are faced with the unanswerable questions of life – why did Emma REALLY run away from Kankurou? Why does Hoshi hate her so much? Does Hoshi like Kankurou? (Well, who wouldn't?) And what's the deal with Neji? I mean, come on, what's his problem?**

**I know – but does anybody else?**

**Meg: Hey, Shino, can you do the glossary today?**

**Shino: No. I'm busy.**

**Meg: Doing?**

**Shino: Thinking.**

**Meg: About?**

**Kiba: Leave him alone, Meg…**

**Meg: Uh…okay then…**

**1 Mushi means bug, and inu means dog. We all know that Shino's clan is centred on bugs, and Kiba's is on dogs.**

**2 This was a pun. Junee is the pronunciation of the Japanese word **_**Juuni**_**, which means twelve. The numbers on a clock go up to twelve and so; therefore, twelve is in between day and night. There's a lot of significance with the play **_**Nobody Knows The Truth**_**, and this story-line. It will take awhile to get into it, though…**

**3 The gang was playing Babanuki, which is the Japanese name for **_**Old Maid**_**, which is a card game where you take turns picking cards from your opponent's hand, hoping not to get the joker. It's worth saying here that since there were so many of them, this particular group decided to use **_**two**_** jokers for their game.**


	6. Emma To The Rescue!

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER SIX

Emma To The Rescue!

_Disclaimer: I don't own the riding school Fox Wood Farm Equestrian Centre, nor do I own the name, the horses/ponies or any name associated with the business. Since I am not using the name or any part of it to earn money, I am just using it for fun, I am not affiliated with it in any way (this is not for publicity)._

Emma's figure may not have been as filled out as Mari's – but that didn't matter.

She was as beautiful, carefree, smart, funny and gentle as Kankurou remembered her to be. Her short brown hair had grown a little, so that it hung down to her elbows, and her hazel-green eyes were filled with the same love and joy that Kankurou had missed so much. She was still short – everybody else was taller then her. But she didn't seem to mind.

Kankurou certainly didn't mind.

What he _did_ mind was getting interrupted in the hallway the next morning. Emma had come over super early, and called to Kankurou on the balcony. She had then proceeded to run up an entire flight of steps to get to Kai's seventh floor apartment, where Kankurou had met her. They had shared a great big hug, followed by a very sweet kiss, during which Emma had, for some reason, broken away, run around the corner at the end of the hall, screamed in a mixture of shock and joy, before tearing back around the corner and going under again, leaving Kankurou very confused – but very pleased. They were in the middle of this fiery kiss, when the door to Kai's apartment opened, and Neji strolled out, no doubt awoken by Emma's scream.

Kankurou, however, blamed it all on Neji. Kankurou and Emma pulled away from each other, Emma blushing red and Kankurou scowling angrily.

Neji didn't apologise, nor did he seem to notice Kankurou. Instead, he turned to Emma, and smiled at her. "Ohayo." He greeted her.

Emma smiled back at him. "Hiya. Nice to see you again, Neji-Sama."

"You can call me San." He replied.

"Okay – Neji-San, what happened to your arms?" Emma was wearing a very pretty red turtle-neck top and a short blue denim skirt, which made her look very sweet and grown-up.

Neji tried not to look at her as he replied: "When I fell from the sky, I injured them."

"Do they hurt much?" She wanted to know.

"Not really."

Inner-Kankurou: LIAR!

Inner-Neji: 'Sticks tongue out.'

Inner-Kankurou: Real mature, Ne-_ji_!

"I would've asked you yesterday," Emma continued. "But I couldn't stay at all; I had somewhere I had to be. I…I'm afraid that I'm in a bit of trouble." She brightened. "But hey, I'm okay! We're all going somewhere special today, so I'm not too sad! And neither should you two be! I'm gonna go see Mari and the girls now! Catch ya later Neji-San, Kanky-Chan!"

As Emma disappeared into Mari's apartment, Kankurou glared at Neji.

"You just _had_ to walk out, didn't you?" He hissed at the Hyuga boy, who shrugged in reply.

When they found out where they were all going, some of them decided that this Saturday and Sunday were going to be the _very_ best days in their young lives.

Others couldn't care less.

They went horseback riding.

How original.

Actually, it had been Mari's idea. She was really _into_ horses at the moment, and she had booked it on the Friday Emma had been fired, to cheer her up and also to let the ninjas get a good look at the world she, Kai and Emma lived in.

And since she, Emma and Kai had all gone horseback riding at this one place, called Fox Wood Farm, a few times before, and Mari had been riding for over ten years, and since a terrible storm had destroyed all of the paddocks (I know, farfetched) and the horses were now situated in Serpentine, where there was a grand collection of awesome bridle paths, Mari had gotten permission to use the horses for the whole day by the owners of Fox Wood.

They had gotten over $200 of Mari's hard-earned money, but she didn't mind.

She sprung the news on them all during breakfast at Tiffany's 1 (she was a TAFE friend of Mari's).

Emma was all for it.

"I can't wait to see all my old friends again," She bubbled, as they hopped onto a bus bound for Serpentine. "Shannick, and Shushi, and Merrick, and Fury…" She frowned, as they walked (and swung) towards the back of the bus. "I wonder if Chief will be there?"

Mari and Kai exchanged a small smile.

It was a rather large bus, but it was filling up fast. There were three seats left at the back, two on the left side and then one opposite the last one on the right, and the whole back row was free.

The seats were able to seat four people (told you it was big) and the back seat could seat six people. The group of eighteen took advantage of this.

In order from window to aisle, this is how the first (last?) three rows of seats were filled up:

Chouji, Mari, Kai and Tenten (with her foot sticking out in the aisle and somebody tripped over it once – the foot, not the aisle…).

Behind them were Lee, Sakura, Ino and Sasuke.

Across from them were Hinata, Naruto, Kiba and Shino.

That was fine. No arguments there.

And then came the war.

The first part was okay. Into the back seat sidled Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru, Temari and Garaa.

Shikamaru picked up Temari's hand and gave it a squeeze.

They smiled at each other.

Inner-Naruto: Hmmm…

Emma picked her way past them, and perched herself just by the window, wearing not her skirt but a pair of her own beige joddies 2 that she had left over at Mari's. It was a best friend thing.

Neji and Kankurou looked at each other, and then started to shove at each other to get to the spot beside Emma.

Everybody on the bus stared at them.

"_I_ get to sit next to Emma!" Kankurou stated, shoving Neji extra hard.

"Who said anything about that? I just wanted to near the _window_!" Neji lied, feeling his arms burn with pain, and he winced.

"Ha! Yeah right!" Kankurou folded his own arms across his chest.

"You got a problem with that, _skirt-boy_?" Neji glared at Kankurou.

Kankurou stepped up close to Neji (they are relatively the same height) and said: "You're one to talk! And yeah, I do, cuz' you wanna sit by _my_ girlfriend!" He hissed.

Neji felt his bloodline trait start to activate (that rhymes) as he snapped: "S'not my fault she happens to be by the window!"

"Uh, excuse me!" Emma said, standing up suddenly, and all eyes turned to her. "_The Girlfriend_ has a name!"

"Emma-Sama!" Neji cried, with sincerity flooding his words. "I'm so sorry! Gomen! Gomen!"

"Forgive me for speaking so disrespectfully of you, Emi-Chan!" Kankurou added earnestly.

Everybody on the bus (and I mean _everybody_ but those two) sweatdropped.

Emma turned the colour of her shirt.

Hinata looked embarrassed just to be anywhere _near_ the situation.

Garaa rolled his eyes.

And Temari looked furious.

"_Kankurou-Bozu_!" 3 She snapped in her anger. "Grow up and just sit down _anywhere_! The bus driver wants to leave!"

The bus lurched forward then, and the three standing up lurched forwards.

Emma staggered, and fell into Kankurou's arms.

"Kanky-Chan…" Emma muttered, staring up at Kankurou with her endlessly gorgeous hazel-green eyes.

"Emi-Chan…" Kankurou felt that his masculine handsomeness was lost amongst Emma's stunning beauty, but she didn't seem to care.

"I place myself in your strong arms…" Emma whispered sweetly.

"For you, I'll never fight again!" Kankurou declared, pulling Emma closer towards him.

"Let's get married…" Emma realised. "It's the only way for us to be happy!"

"Indubitably!" Kankurou agreed, and leant in close to her, smelling the sweet sugary smell of her hair, and just _dying_ to taste the warm honey of her pink lips.

PUCHOU! 4 (I think that's it…hmm…)

This is the way Kankurou's mind works.

What _actually_ happened was…

Emma disentangled herself from Kankurou's arms, blushing furiously as the bus rumbled down the street.

"HEY, FIND A SEAT OR GET OFF MY BUS!" The bus driver shouted back down to them.

"GYAAAA!" 5 Emma shrieked, and she and the two boys _zipped_ into the last three seats available.

Emma looked on either side of her.

"Oh!" She cried. "Why didn't we just think of this sooner!?!?"

Neji was on the left of her, by the window, and Kankurou was on her right, next to his brother.

"I dunno, Emma-Sama." Kankurou said, putting an arm around her. "I dunno."

"Well, that was embarrassing." Emma muttered, leaning her head momentarily on Kankurou's shoulder. She then glanced at Neji, who was staring at her, with a black aura around him.

Inner-Emma: What's this? Can I now read other people's auras? Neji's looks pissed…I don't blame him; Kankurou _did_ shove his arms around a bit. Poor Neji! I better engage in a conversation with him!

– Note here that Emma's text is in italics, and Neji's is in bold. –

"_Neji-San?"_

Inner-Neji: ROAR! WHAT!?!?

"**What is it, Emma-Sama?"**

"_Umm…well…I…"_ Now Emma had no idea what to say to him, now that she'd gotten his attention!

"**Suki?"** 6

"_Not really…"_

"**Then what?"**

"_Umm…"_

"**What?"**

Inner-Neji: I'm getting pissed again…

"…"

"**?"**

"… …"

"**???"**

"_!"_

"**!?"**

"… … "

"**!??"**

""

"******"**

"_?"_

""

"… _?"_

""

""

"**!"**

That took the whole bus trip.

Kankurou was ready to scream bloody murder.

But he didn't. He kept his cool.

Until the crisis…

…

es…

(There was more then one…)

"Well, this is nice." Sakura smiled at the sunlight above the trees, as the walked along through the countryside.

"Yeah, I never thought horses could be cool like this." Ino agreed. "Mari-Chan, what's my horse's name?"

"That's a pony." Mari called from her seat in the driving carriage. "And her name's Honey II."

"Oh. So…where's Honey I?" Ino wondered.

"I'm driving her." Mari motioned to the ebony-coloured Shetland X 7 pulling the little carriage.

"What's my horse's name?" Naruto called. "I like her, she's cool!"

"What's my pony's name?" Sakura called.

"KYAAAA!!" Mari shrieked, making everybody but Emma's pony leap about ten feet in the air. When they'd all landed, she calmed down, and said: "We went through this back at the stables! I'm only gonna say it _one more time_! So pay attention!"

"Yes Ma'm!" Tenten, sitting in the carriage on one side of Mari giggled.

On Mari's other side was Neji, and he just rolled his eyes.

But he couldn't not notice how good Emma looked on a horse (well, a pony) in front of him. She was relaxed (unlike Sasuke) and sat tall (unlike Chouji) and rode with ease (unlike Lee). It was too perfect.

"Alright!" Mari called. "I'll go down the line, so pay attention! Garaa and Bandit! Sakura and Wendy! Ino and Honey II! Kiba and Myzchief! Hinata and Pablo! Naruto and Shushi! Shikamaru and Tinkerbelle! Temari and Tyke! Chouji and Cisco! Me, Neji, Tenten and Honey! Emma and Chief! Kankurou and Thomas! Sasuke and Shannick! Lee and Spot! Shino and Gideon! And Kai and Lucky!" She said this all pretty much in one breath, and had to pause when she'd finished.

"But…" Naruto's voice drifted up from the back. "Did you say _Sushi_ or _Shushi_?"

…

"GGGYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Mari screeched.

Only Chief stayed steady.

By the time they'd reached the public arena, Mari was at her wits end.

"Kai-Kun!" She suddenly called, as she lifted the shafts down from Honey's harness and tied her up to the fence. "Lend me Lucky; I wanna go for a canter!"

"Whatever." Kai replied, adjusting the red bay 8 mare's stirrups.

"Hey, Mari-Chan?" Emma called, as Mari led Lucky into the arena.

"Mmm?" Mari paused in her steps, and Lucky nearly walked into her.

"Lemme race against you, okay?" Emma said, although she was dismounting Chief.

"Can you?" Mari was getting edgy. She needed a canter!

"Sure." Emma replied, tying up Chief. "Remember, I went riding during my lunch breaks when I worked at Fox Wood (fell off too, but oh well…). So let's race!"

"O…kay…" Mari watched as Emma left Chief, and walked over to Kankurou and Thomas.

"Lucky's one of the fastest ponies here." She smiled up at Kankurou. "So I gotta use Thomas, okay?"

Inner-Emma: He looks like a knight!

"Sure." Kankurou replied, sliding down awkwardly from Thomas' tall, 16.2hh 9 back.

Emma put her foot into the stirrup and swung herself gracefully onto Thomas' Thoroughbred back, and smiled down at Kankurou – it was a smile that said 'hey, I'll be okay' – before clucking her tongue gently and walking Thomas towards the open gate of the arena, saying: "Makenai, Tom-Chan…"

"Ready…" Tenten called, sitting on the fence with her leg propped up on a post. She glared at Neji.

He sighed. "Steady…" How had Tenten managed to rope him into this? He'd better say 'go' with her, or he'd have one of her many weapons to answer to…

"GO!" They both shouted, and Kankurou and Naruto were off – walking.

Kankurou was riding Spot, a cheeky little Palouse Pony. Naruto was still riding Shushi, and they went to one end of the arena and back, with Kankurou slightly ahead.

"Go for it!" Emma cried – but whether she was referring to Kankurou or Garaa, who was just getting ready to go, was beyond the others.

Garaa had been feeling daringly bold, just like Naruto and Kankurou, so bold in fact that he was ready to try a trot. To make it fair, Kai rode without stirrups.

Even though he was riding without stirrups, Kai was as balanced as he'd been when he was riding Lucky at a walk. Now he rode Myzchief, a grey Appaloosa Quarter Horse, at a fast jog towards the end of the arena.

But Garaa, who had been looking quite comfortable on Bandit, a brown Quarter Horse with a strong gait, seemed to adjust to the change of gaits almost immediately, rising and falling in the saddle to the two-beat gait.

"Wow, rising trot." Mari commented, as the two riders made their way back down the arena. She grinned over at Emma. "You ready to run?"

"Run, you say?" Emma smirked and, the second Garaa passed her, she moved Thomas into a smooth canter.

Mari, on Lucky, followed suite.

"Cool." Ino commented, as the two horses cantered down the arena. "They're good." She grinned. "Mari's winning!"

"AWESOME!" Naruto shouted, bouncing up and down in his saddle.

Neji couldn't help staring at Emma, again. How she had adjusted from riding a stocky little pony like Chief to riding a narrow horse like Thomas was beyond Neji, but he was in total awe of how well she rode.

Inner-Neji: I hope Emma…wins…

As Thomas approached the turning point, at the end of the arena where Neji sat, Emma glanced up at him, and smiled.

Time seemed to go in slow-motion as Thomas turned, a split-second behind Lucky. Emma had focused her hazel-green eyes on Neji's own white ones, and he had been staring at her for quite some time now. It was as if everyone else in the world disappeared then, and there was only Neji sitting on the fencepost and Emma sitting on her horse.

To Neji it felt _wicked_…

The moment passed, Lucky and Thomas turned on the dime, kicking up clouds of sand and dirt, and Emma suddenly leaned forward and shouted: "HYA!" Giving Thomas another kick behind the girth of his saddle.

Thomas' gait changed, it became faster, and four-beats instead of three.

"She's galloping!" Kai cried. "That's faster then a canter!"

"Hey!" Mari protested, as Emma and Thomas sailed across the finish line way ahead of her. "That's cheating!"

Emma turned around in her saddle, grinning as Mari rode up behind her. "Is it?" Was all she said.

After some more riding, and that included Emma taking Naruto on what she called a 'double-bareback-canter' on Cisco because he'd _begged_ to be able to have a canter, the group had their lunch and then packed up to head back to the stables.

"Hey Emma-Chan?" Mari called to her, as she adjusted Honey's harness. "You wanna drive?"

Chief snorted.

"Sure." Emma replied, dusting off her hands from closing the gait to the arena whilst still on the grey pony's back. "Just let me and Chief jump that log over there." She pointed, and Mari agreed.

They all watched as Emma cantered Chief towards the log, and he jumped it with room to spare. Most of the gang applauded as Emma trotted back towards them with a big grin on her face, and traded ponies with Mari.

"We'll have to trade saddles." Emma commented, as she undid the buckle on Chief's girth. "This one's stirrups are too short for you. You'll have to trade with Hinata."

Mari nodded in agreement.

Kankurou was still riding Spot, and Lee was now riding Thomas. Tenten climbed into the carriage, and Mari climbed out.

And Hinata, who had been leading Neji around on Pablo, prepared to help her cousin dismount.

He really should have been riding Chief.

It all happened at once.

Spot suddenly spooked, and reared into the air, pawing at the air with his hooves.

"KANKUROU-SAMA!" Emma yelled, as Spot took off at a _very_ fast gallop.

"See Spot run…" 10 Kai commented from Lucky's back.

"Don't just sit there!" Emma snapped. "Go after him!"

Kai rolled his eyes, and moved Lucky into an even faster gallop after the runaway pony. Kankurou was barely clinging to the saddle.

"Oh my Lord…" Emma whispered.

Honey suddenly snatched at her bit, tore the reins out of Mari's hands, and trotted forward.

Pablo saw her coming, shook his head, broke away from a startled Hinata, and galloped away into the bushes, as Honey knocked Hinata over, and Tenten gasped from her seat in the carriage.

Mari moved quickly towards Hinata.

"You can't be serious!" Emma shouted, as she leapt onto Chief's bareback and kicked him into a gallop. "YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!"

Kai quickly caught up to Kankurou, who hadn't fallen off thank God. They made their way back to the group, to find Mari calming down Tenten, Hinata _and_ Honey.

"Where's Emma?" Kankurou asked straight away, realising that the love of his life was not present.

"Emma and Chief went to save Neji." Mari replied, still checking over Hinata's arm. "It's a long story."

Kankurou was flabbergasted.

"Emma? Neji? Chief? Save? _To_?"

Garaa and Temari glanced at each other.

"NNNOOO!!!" Kankurou screamed.

"NEJI-SAN!" Emma shrieked, as she saw Neji fall from Pablo's back. He crashed to the ground with a thud, and lay quite still, as Pablo slowed to a stop, and began to munch on a hydrangea growing by the stream.

Tears clouding her eyes for some reason, Emma leapt off of Chief's back in a flying dismount and, not even bothering to tie up her well-behaved Chief, bolted to Neji's side.

Inner-Emma: Hold it girl! Remember your DRABC! 11

"Right." Emma said to herself. "Danger – there is none. Chief can take care of Pablo. Response…Neji-San? Can you hear my Neji-San?"

"Nng…" Came the feeble groan from Neji's limp form.

Relief flooded over Emma like a tidal wave. "He's not dead!" She knelt down by Neji's side. "Neji-San, can…oh no!"

Neji's eyes fluttered shut, and his face went pale. Emma grabbed one of his hands, and felt that it was ice cold.

Then she saw the pool of blood collecting around Neji's head.

"NEJI-SAAAAAAN!!!"

After she had had that little outburst, Emma was all business.

"Alright, Neji-San, let's see what's wrong with you." She rolled him over so that he was lying straight on his back, took off his headband, noticed the large gash along his jaw line where he'd been struck by (or struck) a large, pointy-looking rock, removed his helmet, and felt for a pulse. There it was. Good. At least his heart was still beating. Next she checked to see if he was breathing.

He wasn't.

Inner-Emma: Don't panic!

Emma took a deep breath. "Okay, EAR it is then – Expired Air Resuscitation." Saying the words out-loud seemed to help to relax her, and she prepared herself to do what she knew she had to do – for Neji's sake.

She leant over Neji, placing one hand on the ground by his own hand, and used the other to pinch his nose shut after she had opened Neji's mouth and cleared it out a little bit. She took a deep breath – not to steady herself because she didn't want to complete the next step, but because she wanted to get it right.

She didn't have a choice.

Neji _still_ wasn't breathing. He could go into cardiac arrest any second. And Emma didn't have a second to waste worrying.

She placed her lips over Neji's mouth, and breathed five times into his mouth, watching as his lungs expanded. She checked his pulse. It was still there, but he wasn't breathing for himself yet.

She suspected that he had also gone into shock, and continued breathing into him once every five seconds, for two minutes.

Suddenly, Neji's eyes fluttered open, and Emma pulled away from him as he started to cough and splutter. She quickly rolled him over, into the coma position, as he threw up a little bit, as sometimes does happen.

He looked up at her briefly, and she said: "Oh Neji-Chan, thank goodness…"

His eyes closed again but, after quickly checking him over again, Emma discovered that he had just fallen asleep.

"Thank God I took that First Aid course last year." Emma muttered to herself, sitting by Neji and taking his hand in hers. "But I'm still glad I didn't have to do CPR. I know EAR better…and I would've been scared of getting it wrong…" She smiled a little bit. "And…I wouldn't have wanted to get it wrong…no, that would've been terrible. I don't want to lose Neji."

She washed her hands, bandaged up his wound as best she could, assisted in his irregular breathing for a minute, and then went to wash her hands again.

By the time she'd come back, tying Neji's headband around her own forehead, it was getting dark.

"Why haven't we been found yet?" Emma muttered to herself, sitting back down again as Chief and Pablo continued to graze contentedly.

Neji shifted slightly in his sleep, and opened his eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Emma asked him, gazing deep into his eyes, checking for a concussion.

Neji raised his hand to the bandage on his cheek, and winced.

"I think that you also hurt your arms again." Emma whispered, patting his hand reassuringly. "So we'll just sit tight until help comes." She paused, wondering whether she should tell him what she had had to do for him. "Umm…you weren't breathing, so I had to do it for you – it's called EAR…"

Neji's heart began to beat faster.

Inner-Neji: Emma…put her lips…to my own? No way! Awesome!

"Did…" Neji stammered, and Emma held his hand tighter. "Did…you…call me Chan?"

Emma blinked, and stared at him for a second, before replying softly: "Yes. Yes I did."

**Well…well, I **_**never**_**! Who would've guessed that a simple horse-ride would lead to such a dramatic ending! Now what's gonna happen? Was Emma just doing her job? Or did Neji perceive it as MORE then just that?**

**Shino: Well, why don't you do YOUR job and translate the glossary.**

**Meg: Sticks tongue out **_**Fine**_

**1 Breakfast At Tiffany's is an Audrey Hepburn movie, and it's also in a song!**

**2 Joddies, or jodhpurs, are a type of tight-fitting riding pants. They look really good.**

**3 I guess it's time for an honorific check, but just a short one:**

**. Bozu is used for boys, and is an informal way of saying kid.**

**. San is all-purpose – Mr, Mrs, Miss and Ms.**

**. Chan is for girls, little kids, friends, animals and lovers.**

**. Kun is for boys, or men among the workplace.**

**. Sama is one that is respectful.**

**. Dono commands **_**utmost**_** respect!**

**4 Puchou is, I think, the Japanese word for kiss, or pash. Typical Kankurou sees that happening.**

**5 Gyaa and Kyaa are screams. Gyaa always means pain or fear, but Kyaa can mean surprise or delight as well.**

**6 Suki means 'like' as in I like you. Neji was hopeful.**

**7 If I ever put the name of a horse (like Shetland or Brumby) followed by an X, then that means that it's only a part-breed. And a Shetland X Brumby would be both of this breeds.**

**8 Along those lines, here's a quick horse-colour list:**

**. Bay – Brown with a black mane and tail**

**. Grey – Really just white, but we never say it**

**. Appaloosa – A breed, as well as a spotted coat-colour**

**. Chestnut – A sort of red colour that differs from brown**

**9 Horses and ponies are measured in hands/hh (I dunno why) and one hand equals 4 inches. A pony is under 14.2hh, and a horse is over 14.1hh. Falabella horses are the exception to this, they stand at a **_**tiny**_** little 7.0hh! Aaawww!!!**

**10 See Spot Run was the name of a kids book starring a cute little yellow and brown puppy called Spot.**

**11 DRABC stands for:**

**Danger – is there any around you?**

**Response – are you getting one from the victim?**

**Airway – clear the airway to allow for…**

**Breathing – is any of this happening?**

**Circulation – check the pulse and heart-rate!**

**Using these in an emergency, you can determine whether you need to go another step further and use EAR (pulse – no breathing), or even CPR (no pulse and no breathing). **


	7. Too Hot To Handle?

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER SEVEN

Too Hot To Handle?

_There's a swear word somewhere in here. Just a warning._

"Tell me again what happened, Emma-Chan!" Sakura had pounced on Emma on the bus the next day, not giving anyone else the chance to even get close to her – except for Neji. Neji, Hinata, Sasuke and Emma had spent the night at Fremantle Hospital – Hinata because she was in shock, as was Neji who had sprained both of his arms again and his cut was infected, as was Sasuke's much to his displeasure. And even though she hadn't realised it, Emma was exhausted from taking care of Neji, and she had collapsed on the way to the 'rescue cars', much to Kankurou's horror (and he had caught her, of course). He had wanted to stay with her, but the doctors had assured him (and Sakura, Naruto, Tenten and Ino) that their patients would be able to go home the next day.

If by _home_ they had meant to a _hot spring_…well, then that's exactly what happened.

(Tenten had also gone to the hospital for a few hours to get her cast removed, and Kankurou had been discharged with her).

The bus had stopped out the front of the hospital, those ninjas on board had prepared to disembark – but the ninjas in the hospital had suddenly come trudging out before they had even stood up.

"Oh no, not you two again!" The bus driver groaned when he saw Emma and Neji.

"Shut up!" They snapped at the same time.

They exchanged a glance, before sitting down in the nearest seats, in front of Sasuke and Ino, and across from Hinata and Naruto.

Kankurou started towards the front of the bus to see Emma, but Sakura beat him to it. She went flying down the aisle, in a flash of sugar-pink hair and red cheongsam (izzat what her dress is, it looks Chinese, so…), and flung herself practically on top of Neji in order to chat with Emma about what had happened with her 'amazing rescue' as she put it.

Emma spent the whole bus ride blushing the same colour as Sakura's dress and saying things like 'it was nothing' and 'anyone could've done it', and Sakura replied 'but _you_ did it!'

Neji glowered at first because Sakura was leaning all over his bandaged-up arms, until Emma quietly asked Sakura to give Neji some space. Sakura hopped back into the aisle and continued to chatter away happily, and Neji became increasingly aware that he was sitting next to Emma.

Kankurou didn't get a chance to see Emma _at all_ on the bus ride. Nobody noticed the fact that he was just sitting there, glowering like a glower-man.

Except for Garaa and Temari. Temari glanced over Shikamaru's head at her youngest brother, and gave him a knowing look.

He nodded.

Keep Kankurou and Neji APART, preferably AWAY from Emma! That was what Temari's Look told Garaa!

When they all got off of the bus, they stood at the entrance to Perth's ONLY hot-springs, staring up at it.

"It's sooo big!" Tenten whispered.

"Oh…Cool!" Naruto screamed, jumping up and down and holding a blushing Hinata's hand.

"Come on you guys, let's go in!" Mari called over her shoulder, leading the way in.

"These yukatas 1 look nice." Sakura commented as they strolled down the hall ten minutes later.

"But _those_ yukatas look _even_ better!" Ino cried, rushing forward to meet the boys, and throwing her arms around Sasuke.

Sakura didn't mind (much).

"Well, we go this way." Mari smiled, motioning to the girl's symbol above her.

"And we go this way." Chouji waved to her, as he and the other onmitsu went through the door with the boy's symbol above it.

Garaa literally had to _drag_ Kankurou inside.

"BUT I HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN EMMA YET!!!" He whined at the top of his lungs.

"_But I haven't even seen Emma yet…_" Neji mimicked tauntingly.

Garaa had to hold onto Kankurou _extra_ hard, as he made a lunge for Neji, who just stood there, smirking because he'd hit a weak point.

"You're such a little kid." Neji added. "Are you _really_ seventeen?"

Kankurou growled and lunged forward again, and Kiba grabbed hold of his other arm, as Garaa dug in his heels in a similar fashion to Emma's resistance the other day.

"LEMME GO!" Kankurou shouted. "I'M GONNA FUCKING **KILL** HIM!"

"_Just try it_!" Neji yelled, activating his bloodline trait.

"WOULD YOU TWO **SHUT UP**!" Screamed Temari's voice from their right. "THIS IS A BATH-HOUSE, **NOT** A FREE-FOR-ALL!"

"_But Temari_!" Kankurou protested.

"_But Temari_!" Neji mimicked, and Kankurou broke away from his captors and lunged at him.

"AOI FIRE!"

WHOOSH!

A burning line of blue fire arced over the side of the fence from the girl's side, coming in between Kankurou and Neji, just as Garaa's sand grabbed hold of Kankurou once more.

"Play nice you guys!" Emma sung from their right. "Or I'll send more over!" She was cheerful.

Kankurou and Neji exchanged a bitter glance.

Garaa sighed.

Naruto dive-bombed into the 'pool'.

This started a water fight amongst them all – even Garaa and Neji.

On the girl's side, wearing only their pink and white towels, the kunoichi were relaxing in the warm waters of the bath, glad for the warmth as it was a surprisingly cold summer's day.

"This is the life." Temari sighed, leaning back.

"Yeah, I'll say." Ino agreed, as Hinata propped her injured arm up on a nearby rock, and Tenten drew her arms over the water, creating many multi-ripples.

Sakura chirped: "Duckies!" And happily played with the little yellow rubber duckies that she had brought along, just for the occasion.

Ino tapped one, and it went '_Quack_!', making Sakura and Ino giggle with delight at the toy's cuteness.

Temari fell asleep leaning against a nice warm rock, and Hinata and Tenten engaged in a conversation about Neji – and Emma.

"Umm…Tenten-Chan…" Hinata wasn't sure how to approach this subject. "Do…do you think…do you think that Neji…umm…do you think that he likes Emma?"

"In what way?" Tenten stretched her legs out beneath her, and yawned like a cat.

"I mean…like…like Kankurou…likes her…" Hinata blushed for some reason.

Tenten stopped what she was doing (stretching) and blinked at Hinata. "You mean…you noticed it too?" And when Hinata nodded, she looked thoughtful. "Hmm…I think that he really, really does. But after what Kankurou and Emma have been through together…"

"Are…are you jealous?" Hinata wanted to know.

Tenten blushed. "N…no…I'm…I'm not…" She looked up. "Hey, where's Emma?"

Temari woke up immediately.

Emma moved through the bath, staring around her in awe at the out-door setting. "Whoa…it's huge…" She climbed up onto a huge, tall rock, to get a better look at her surroundings. Carefully positioning her towel so that she wouldn't lose it, Emma knelt down and put her hand up to her eyes to see better. "Okay, let's see…right, there's Temari and the girls…"

Inner-Emma: Yoohoo! Temari-San!

"And the boys…" Emma blinked. "Wh…what? Is…is this a…oh no!" She realised, throwing herself flat down on the rock. "It is! It's a co-ed bath!" She blushed furiously. "Oh…I hope that nobody saw me…" She peered over the side of the rock. She gasped. "Oh no!"

Neji and Kankurou glanced up.

"I heard something." Neji said.

"So did I." Kankurou snapped. "But that's not why we're here! Hyuga, you're flirting with _my_ girlfriend!"

"I can't help it," Neji said softly. "If Emma decided to save _my_ life, and not _yours_!"

Kankurou stepped up close to Neji. "You wanna settle this here and now?"

"Yeah, because I really _hate_ you…" Neji held out his arm.

Kankurou raised his own hand.

Emma gasped, and started to move away from the safety of her high-up rock.

"Jan! Ken! Po!" 2 Neji and Kankurou suddenly shouted.

"Huh?" Emma stopped in mid jump, as Neji and Kankurou both used rock. She lost her balance. "GYAAAAAAA!!!!!!!" She shrieked, as she toppled off of her _own_ rock, and added: "PAPER!" As she crashed into the water, landing on top of poor Neji!

SSSPPPLLLAAASSSHHH!!!

Temari and the girls moved towards the sound of the splash. Garaa and the boys found their way to the source of the commotion.

They were joined by the other curious bathers.

What they saw was this:

Emma was still half lying on top of Neji, who looked dazed but was blushing, and Kankurou had started to help Emma up.

Towels?

History.

"Kankurou-Kun, hide your shame!" Garaa couldn't help calling.

"Emma-Chan, remember your virtues!" Temari added.

"Neji-San, shame on you! How dare you do such a thing!?!?" Hinata was very angry. She thought that it was all Neji's fault!

The three of them glanced down at themselves, and the truth suddenly dawned on them.

"GGGYYYAAAAAA!!!" Emma shrieked, bolting in one direction, as Kankurou and Neji disappeared in opposite directions, too.

"Did he get that on film?" Mari muttered to Chouji, who was eating a Soothers lolly.

"Umm…yup." Chouji nodded towards the man with the video camera.

"Let's get im'." Tenten hissed, sliding up beside them and pouncing on the man to get his camera and destroy it!

"SHAME ON YOU!" The remaining kunoichi screamed at him.

After they had all changed back into their robes, the group went to the games room. Neji was being 'watched' by Hinata and Naruto, who were in the ping-pong room with most of the others. Sakura and Lee were versing Ino and Sasuke, Mari and Chouji were eating, Kai, Temari, Shino and Kiba were playing 'Go Fish', Garaa was glaring at Naruto and Tenten was having another cat-nap.

Emma had wandered out to the gardens in her yukata, which was where Kankurou had found her.

"Emma-Sama?" He asked her.

She turned around. "Oh! Kanky-Chan!" She squealed, throwing her arms around him. "I was wondering when we'd get some alone time together!"

"Emi-Chan…" Kankurou looked at her tenderly, and drew her in for a kiss.

They stood there in the garden like that for ten minutes! They only paused to breathe, and then went back in again.

"Remember what you said, just before you left?" Kankurou asked her, as he basically cradled her in his arms.

She nodded. "Mmhmm. You said the same thing."

"_Watashi wa anata ga, suki desu_." 3 They said at the same time.

"I love you…" Emma whispered.

"And I love you too." Kankurou never wanted to let go of her…but… "Emi-Chan, there's something I have to tell you…"

She glanced up at him.

"And you're not gonna like it." He added.

**What!?!? What!?!? WHAT!?!? What's he gonna say to her? It's NEVER anything good, right?**

**Meg: Shino, this one's yours, buddy.**

**Shino: Buddy?**

**Meg: Yes, **_**buddy**_**. No – hop to it!**

**Shino: O-kay!**

**1 A yukata is a lightweight cotton kimono for casual-wear.**

**2 Jan! Ken! Po! Is the Japanese version of Rock! Paper! Scissors! We used to play it in Japanese class.**

**Meg: Hey, so did we!**

**3 Watashi wa anata ga, suki desu is Japanese for I like you, or I love you.**


	8. The Flitter Bug

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Flitter Bug

_I don't own Someday, by Nickelback, or Bloody Valentine by Good Charlotte._

"I feel like I've been run over by a truck…" Sakura groaned.

"Nng…what's…a truck?" Ino had a _huge_ headache.

"I dunno, but this is what I'd imagine getting hit by one feels like." Tenten closed her eyes.

"This is horrible…my stomach and head are…ohhh…" Temari complained unhappily.

"Make…make the pounding…stop…" Hinata whispered, holding onto her head.

"Go to sleep and it will…" Emma muttered, and tried to make herself more comfortable. "Why aren't the boys sick?"

"Luck." Sakura and Ino mumbled at the same time, as Mari came in with a tray bearing three bowls of soup. Kai was right behind her, with an identical tray.

Almost…

"Okay, that's vegetable soup for the lovely Temari," Kai smiled at her. "And then there's tomato soup for Tenten and beef stockpot for Hinata." He added, offhandedly.

"And, I've got chicken noodle soup for Sakura," Mari placed the soup bowels on her living room table. "Plain chicken soup for Ino, and Minestrone for Emma."

Kai also produced three flowers from behind his back. "Also, the guys send these. An orange rose to Hinata from Naruto."

She took it, blushing.

"Lee sent two for some reason." Kai added. "A white carnation for Tenten and a pink something-or-other for Sakura."

The two girls smiled faintly at each other. Lee was Tenten's team-mate, so it made sense for him to send Tenten a flower – but why not Neji sending something instead?

"Sasuke sent a little bouquet of violets for Ino, with love." Mari handed Ino a little bunch of flowers. "And Shikamaru sent Temari this daffodil."

"He did what!?!?" Kai was outraged, but Temari didn't seem to mind.

"Garaa sent this to Emma, I dunno why." Kai added, handing Emma a single red rose.

"Eek." Emma whispered.

"And Emma-Chan…" Mari paused. "Umm…do you feel okay to walk?"

Emma nodded, and got to her feet, wondering where on earth this could be going.

They left Kai watching Judge Judy with the girls, and walked into the hallway.

Emma faced Mari.

Kankurou wasn't staying with them. He was spending the first three days of the week in Chidlow, with the Spare Parts Puppet Theatre plays. Emma missed him already, and it was only Tuesday morning.

If only she, Emma, had not been fired…

If only she'd never met Hoshi…

If only her parents had…

Mari cleared her throat. "Neji wants me to relay this message to you…" And she sung, in her clear, soprano voice:

_How the hell'd we wind up like this  
And why weren't we able  
To see the signs that we missed  
And try to turn the tables_

_Now the story's played out like this  
Just like a paperback novel  
Let's rewrite an ending that fits  
Instead of a Hollywood horror_

Nothing's wrong Just as long as you know that someday I will  
Someday, somehow   
I'm gonna make it alright But not right now  
I know you're wondering when  
You're the only one who knows that  
Someday somehow I'm gonna make it alright  
But not right now I know you're wondering when  
You're the only one who knows that  
I know you're wondering when  
You're the only one who knows that  
I know you're wondering when…

Emma gasped: "Where'd he hear that!?!?"

Mari shrugged. "Kai's I-Pod? The radio? Who knows? That's just what he said to sing to you."

"But I can't work like this!" Emma cried, grabbing Mari's shoulders and giving them a good shake. "I can't be caught between those two!" She added, meaning Neji and Kankurou.

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger!" Mari cried, taking Emma's hands in her own. "If it concerns you that much," She added, more gently. "Then just go and see him. Do you want me to come with you?"

Emma shook her head. "No…I'll be okay. They boys are there. And I won't stay for too long."

Mari gave her a big hug. "That'a girl." She whispered.

"Are you going to go out with Chouji now?" Emma whispered back.

Mari gasped and gave her a little push in the direction of Kai's door. "Go!" She chided.

Neji was, in fact, one of the only people in Kai's apartment – the other guys aside from Garaa had taken Akamaru for a walk downtown, near some cafés, of course.

Garaa was meditating, and Neji was listening to the radio.

He turned up the volume of _Bloody Valentine_, by Good Charlotte, which he had heard two days ago, and liked a lot.

_I ripped out, his throat,_

_And called you on the telephone to,_

_Take off, my disguise,_

_Just in time to hear you cry,_

_When you…_

_You mourn the death of your bloody valentine,_

_The night he died,_

_You mourn the death of your bloody valentine,_

_One…last…time…_

Nice song.

"Hello, Emma-Sama." Garaa said suddenly.

"DON'T _SPEAR_ ME!" Neji shrieked, and spun around, to see Emma standing with her hands on her hips in the doorway, and one eyebrow raised. "Oh…Emma-Sama…hello…I didn't hear you come in…"

"Radio up too loud?" Emma came into the room, and stopped next to Garaa. "Thanks for the rose." She said to him.

"Hn." Was his reply.

Emma then faced Neji. "We need to talk." She demanded. Suddenly, her stomach did a rollercoaster dive. "But…not right now!" She cried, dashing into the messy bathroom, and making it to the bowl just in time to see her breakfast.

"Oh-h…gre-ea-eat…" She sobbed, as people always did when they were being sick.

Neji came into the bathroom behind her, and put a hand on her shoulder.

As Emma was sick again, he held her hair away from her face.

When she'd finished throwing up, she was too weak to do anything. So Neji flushed the toilet, and led Emma out into the main room of Kai's apartment.

Emma, Garaa and Neji spent the afternoon relaxing on Kai's couch and watching reruns of Kriss Angel.

The others arrived later on, to find Garaa still watching TV, and Emma and Neji curled up on the couch together, asleep.

An hour later, when everybody had gone out and left those three home alone, Garaa and Neji were disturbed from their meditation by a shriek – _Emma's_ shriek.

Neji darted off of the couch and bolted into Mari's apartment, followed closely by Garaa.

Emma was sitting in front of Mari's computer, sobbing and shaking.

"GARAA!" She screamed. "HOW…HOW _COULD_ YOU!?!?"

Garaa saw the image on the screen, a black and white picture he'd rather forget, of what Dosu looked like after he'd killed him.

"_Dosu_!" Emma cried. "_Poor Dosu_!"

Shukaku: Heh heh heh…

Garaa: Shup! 1

Neji strode forward and guided Emma away from the computer, back into Kai's living room, where he sat there and rocked her in his arms.

"I've seen death…" Emma sobbed into his chest. "But…Dosu…Zaku…Kin…_and_ Hayate!" Emma remembered how Baki had killed Hayate, and Zaku and Kin had been sacrificed by Lord Orichimaru, and sobbed even harder.

Neji rocked her gently, becoming increasingly aware of the sweet sugar smell of her hair, mixed in with the smell of medicine that she needed to take, and a slight trace of honey.

He smiled, and held her closer on the couch.

"Thanks…Neji-Chan…" Emma muttered.

**Aaw, now isn't that sweet? Emma seems to find Neji to be a great friend.**

**But is that the way Neji sees it?**

**1 Shup is my new word. Because whenever Mum tells me to shut up, she says it really, really fast, so it sounds more like shup.**


	9. Unforgiven

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER NINE

Unforgiven

The next day, Wednesday, the girls were feeling much better. Sakura, Ino, Lee, Sasuke, Temari, Shikamaru, Shino, Kiba, Naruto, Hinata, Mari, Chouji, Tenten and Kai went into Perth City (The City) to do some sort of shopping.

That left Emma, Neji and Garaa home alone, once again. They had decided to go shopping – somewhere – and now Neji and Garaa were waiting impatiently for Emma to get ready.

"You've got a sister." Neji said with meaning, which was the most civil thing he'd _ever_ said to Garaa, who shrugged in reply.

"It's normal." He finally said. He glanced down at Neji's hands. "Hey, your arms are out of the casts."

Neji nodded. "I'm gonna go tell Emma, wait here." He said, going into Mari's apartment, and leaving Garaa behind, troubled.

"Hey Mari-Chan?" Temari suddenly asked her, as they sat on the bus going into The City.

"Mmm?" Mari glanced up quickly, and Naruto quickly moved the pieces of the chess game so that it was to his advantage.

"How come you don't take those sleeping tablets anymore?" Temari leaned across the aisle, to where Mari was sitting in a row of four with Naruto, Hinata and Kiba.

Mari smiled. "Oh, well _there's_ an interesting story. You see…

It all started just after Emma, Kai and I returned to this world. Our scars were healing well, but I still wasn't getting any sleep, so Grandma sent to me the doctors to see what they could do. I got stuck with this _really_ strange shrink-lady called…hmm…what _was_ her name…Kira! That's it! Anyway, one time…

_Kira: So, when do you usually get to sleep at night, Mari-San?_

_Mari: Wellll…it depends. Usually I manage to close my eyes in the wee small hours of the morning._

_Cricket…cricket…_

_Kira: …_

_Mari: (Frowns) Around 2AM, 2:30-ish…_

_Kira: Oh my my my, this IS a problem, isn't it?_

_Mari: You only JUST figured that one out?_

So she put me on these tablets, which were bright red and about the size of a horse tranquillizer. But I started to lose _a lot_ of weight, and I had scary hallucinations about walking-fish whenever I saw water, so we took me off the tablets. Then I gutted the fish in cooking class, graduated because I'd been skipped ahead a grade, and the rest you guys already know!"

Cricket…cricket…

Mari narrowed her eyes. "Don't _you_ start, Jiminy Cricket…"

Emma was standing in the bathroom, wearing only her towel, and trying to figure out how to fix her hair.

But the darned mirror kept on fogging up!

"Grr!" She growled, wiping it away again. "KYAA!" She screamed, as Neji's face appeared beside hers. She spun around, clutching at her chest.

She didn't like the look on Neji's face – she couldn't even read it.

Neji held up his arms. "No more bandages." He said, still wearing that strange expression on his face.

Emma's face broke into a smile. "Hey-y, that's great!" She adjusted her towel, and then held out her arms. "How about a hug?"

Neji blushed, but didn't want to give up the chance to touch Emma again. He moved forward, and wrapped his strong arms around her, hugging her tiny body close to his.

A dozen emotions rushed through Neji's body then:

Power. _He_ had _Emma_ in his embrace…

Want. He'd wanted her for so long…

Lust. He lusted for her…

Love. He loved her…

That last one was tricky (what is love?), but Neji couldn't deny it any longer.

"Emma-Chan…" He muttered. "I…I love you!" And he kissed her.

Emma's eyes opened wide in shock, as Neji's powerful kiss seemed to wash over her like a tidal wave. But not a nice tidal wave, like with Kankurou.

Kankurou…

Emma had never felt so unfaithful, or impure, as she had then.

She tried to pull away from him – Neji held on.

Even with two sore arms, he was way stronger then her, and quickly overpowered her against the wall.

It would have all been okay, fine, choroi, c'est la vie – if Emma hadn't felt so bonded to Kankurou.

Kankurou!

Neji had never felt anything like this before. He had never wanted anything so much in his life before as he had Emma, and now he had her. Ever since they had first battled back in Konoha, when she was fourteen, and when he had seen her courage in sacrificing herself (and two others) he had been mesmerized by her. Even though she had said the 'L' word to Kankurou…

None of that mattered to Neji now!

He had gotten what he wanted – Emma was _sure_ to fall for him now!

Neji wasn't used to getting something so valuable that he wanted – Emma was _priceless_!

And her lips…they tasted of so many different flavours…

Sweet, sweet honey…

Syrup covered sugar…

Wild foreign spices…

Gentle arousing herbs…

Neji kissed her even harder…

Emma was, for the first time around Neji, terrified. Her arms had gone limp against her sides, she had given up struggling – Neji wasn't going to let her go.

Emma: I've got no choice…I have to _burn_ him…

She shut her eyes.

Emma: Forgive me…Neji-San…

Kankurou!!!

Mari and Kai were busy, playing matchmaker with the others. They had already gotten Sasuke and Ino to go off on their own, Lee and Sakura went to a café together, and Temari became 'lost' with Shikamaru (much to Kai's disappointment). Actually, Mari said she had nothing to do with that one. Maybe it just happened on its own…

Now…Naruto and Hinata…

"Oh, you don't need to do that!" Naruto had exclaimed, when he'd figured out what they were all trying to do to them. He slung his arm around Hinata's shoulders: "In fact, Hinata and I are even sl…"

He suddenly clapped his hand over his mouth, as Hinata turned a wicked shade of red.

"GYAAAAAAA!!!" Mari screamed. "VVVISSSIONNNNS!!!"

Emma caught sight of Kankurou out of the corner of her eye, behind Neji's back.

He had come home early!

And…

He looked outraged – and yet at the same time, he looked as if he was unsure exactly what was going on.

Not wanting him to get the wrong idea, Emma made her eyes wide and scared, and mimed stabbing Neji in the back.

Kankurou got the hint, and threw his kunai straight at Neji's mouth.

Emma managed to break away then, and slid to the floor, as the kunai grazed Neji's lips.

He howled in rage, and turned to glare at Kankurou.

Kankurou looked unsure. "Emma-Sama?" He asked her.

Emma sat there on the floor, clutching her hand to her chest to keep her towel up, and shaking like a leaf.

A single tear slid down her pale cheek.

Kankurou understood immediately.

He strode forward, and knelt beside Emma, putting his arms protectively around her, feeling her trembling in fear.

Neji wiped the blood from his chin and waited.

"Hyuga, get out!" Kankurou ordered suddenly, his voice cutting like a knife through the silence, making the other two jump.

Neji didn't move. He was staring only at Emma, and barely seemed to notice Kankurou.

Emma was still trembling.

"Unless you want me to break those arms again, you'll fuck off right now!" Kankurou yelled.

"Please…go…" Emma whispered, in comparison to Kankurou's yelling.

Neji turned on his heel and stalked out of the bathroom, his long black hair swishing behind him. Emma and Kankurou heard the sound of his footsteps disappearing down the hall, and then a slight confrontation with him and Garaa.

"I'd better get out there." Kankurou muttered, pulling Emma into a standing position.

"I can't believe he did that…" Emma whispered, and burst into tears again.

They were in Mari's living room, all of them.

Most of the onmitsu and kunoichi stood around the room, leaning against the walls just like sentries.

They were all shocked – but Hinata, Naruto and Temari were positively outraged!

Temari and Garaa were both standing in the middle of the room.

On one side of them sat Neji, in a pink armchair, glaring at the ceiling.

Opposite him, on the banana-yellow couch sat Kankurou, who was glaring at Neji.

Emma was sitting in Kankurou's lap, wearing a pair of jeans and that turtle-neck top – because she felt so violated. She was staring at the floor, but felt much safer now that Kankurou was home, and she was safe in his arms. She certainly _felt_ safer then she had half an hour ago, when Neji had, basically, sexually assaulted her, by forcing her to kiss him.

If Kankurou hadn't stepped in…

But Emma was still pure…

Tenten and Lee looked at Neji with disappointment. Tenten felt like crying.

Temari cleared her throat.

"This is very serious." She began, but Neji interrupted her.

"No, it is not." He said, standing up angrily. "I did nothing wrong!"

"Define what you did." Garaa said calmly.

Neji glared at him. "I don't have to tell you _anything_!" He replied, seething. "This is my own business!"

"So…you're not going to tell us?" Kiba frowned.

Neji nodded.

"If you won't – then I will." Emma stood up suddenly, and with a strange defiance in her eyes.

Neji stared at her. "Emma-San…don't…"

But Emma had finally had enough, and she put her foot down – in a big way.

"NEJI-SAN, WHAT YOU DID WAS TOTALLY UNFORGIVABLE!" Emma screamed at him.

"WELL MAYBE IF YOU HAD BEEN WEARING SOME CLOTHES, IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED!" Neji shouted, finally losing his patience.

"I INVITED YOU TO _HUG_ ME, NOT RAPE ME!" Emma yelled.

"IT WAS JUST A KISS!" Neji retorted, loudly.

"Oh, so _that's_ what happened…" Sakura murmured.

"I NEVER THOUGHT YOU'D DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, NEJI-SAN!" Emma screamed. "I NEVER THOUGHT YOU'D BE LIKE THIS!"

"LIKE WHAT!?!?" Neji snapped.

"LIKE A LECHEROUS ABUSIVE FUCKING BASTARD!" Emma had tears pouring down her face, as she turned around quickly and ran out of the apartment.

Kankurou jumped to his feet, shot Neji an 'I'm-gonna-fucking-murder-you' Look, and bolted out of the room after Emma.

**OMG! Neji! How could you? How DARE you!**

**But it's probably a natural 'guy-thing' to want to kiss a girl you like so much…I betcha Kankurou doesn't see it that way…**

**I forgot to say it, but yes, there were two swear words just then. Life is…like that…I guess… sighs**


	10. As Distant As Strangers

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TEN

As Distant As Strangers

"This is ridiculous." Mari cried. She stamped her foot in frustration, and everybody looked at her – except for Neji, who had just left the room. "I won't stand for it!" she added, looking around at everybody.

Tenten sighed. "Neither can we, but what can you do?"

"_What can we do_!?!?" Mari cried. "WHAT CAN WE DO!?!?" She threw up her hands. "_WE CAN KICK THAT BASTARD NEJI OUT OF HERE FOR GOOD_!!!"

"Mari-Chan, calm down…" Temari told her, but Mari wasn't listening.

"I MEAN, WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS!?!?" She yelled, pacing around the room like a caged lion. "WHERE THE HELL DOES HE GET OFF DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO _MY_ BEST FRIEND!?!? IT'S AN OUTRAGE! HE'S A BASTARD AND HE SHOULD BE PUNISHED!"

"_Hey_!" Tenten cried, jumping to her feet. "Neji happens to be _my_ team-mate, so don't you _dare_ talk down about him in front of me, _ever_! He's still our friend!"

Mari's hands flew to her hips, and she faced Tenten. "Oh yeah? Well tell me something, Tenten-San! What gives a so-called-_friend_ the right to kiss somebody like that against her own free will? Isn't that sexual assault?"

Tenten crossed her arms. "There's a perfectly _good_ explanation as to _why_ he would ever do such a thing! I'm sure of it!"

"Yeah, right." Snorted Chouji, coming to Mari's side. "The _good_ explanation, as you call it, was probably that he couldn't control his _overactive hormones_ any longer!"

Tenten looked furious. "How _dare_ you!" She cried, looking at Lee for support. "Lee-Kun, _tell_ them that Neji would _never_ act like this under normal circumstances! _Tell_ them!"

"He is not usually like this…" Lee said thoughtfully. "Perhaps we should give him the benefit of the doubt?"

"No way!" Chouji and Mari cried at the same time.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Who are _you two_ to talk? Playing matchmakers with the rest of us today, instead of just leaving us alone. If _anyone_ can't control their hormones, then it's _you two_."

Inner-Sakura: Hatcha!

Ino nodded in agreement. "Not only that, but I've seen you two making out in the hallway and stairwell, thinking that nobody can see you!"

Mari gasped, and Chouji turned bright red.

Kai stared at them, shocked.

Shikamaru spoke up then: "Ino-San, that wasn't very nice." He paused. "Anyway," He added. "It's no worse then _you_ stalking Sasuke for all these years."

Ino blushed, and bowed her head in shame.

But Sasuke immediately jumped to her aid. "Hey, lay off, alright!" He snapped at Shikamaru, placing an arm around Ino's shoulders. "You can't talk when we've all witnessed your relationship with Temari!"

"I'll have you know, you impertinent little Leaf Ninja," Temari said, angrily. "That our relationship is, at the moment, strictly _friendship_ only!"

"Yeah, sure." Sasuke smirked.

"Guys, could we _please_ get back on subject?" Naruto spoke up. "We're supposed to be talking about Neji trying to rape Emma!"

"DON'T SAY IT LIKE THAT!" Tenten screamed. "HE DIDN'T TRY TO DO THAT AT ALL!"

Lee put a hand on her shoulder. "Tenten-San, momentai…" 1

"What's wrong Lee-Kun, have you broken up with Sakura now?" Temari taunted.

"That's not helping." Kiba told her, and Akamaru barked in agreement.

"So what, you're on their side now?" Naruto challenged him.

"Naruto-Chan, please…" Hinata whispered, tugging on his sleeve.

"You're not exactly innocent yourself, Hinata-San!" Kiba said suddenly. "What about you and Naruto sl…"

"SHUT UP!" Naruto shouted at him. "THAT'S BETWEEN HINATA AND ME! IT HAS _NOTHING_ TO DO WITH YOU!"

"Is that why you were so eager to tell Mari _all about it_?" Shino said quietly.

"That was an accident!" Naruto snapped. "It just slipped out! But you won't hear anything more about it, Believe It!"

"Did you see how upset Emma looked?" Hinata whispered, so softly that they could barely hear her. "Poor Emma, she must feel so terrible."

"What's wrong with being kissed by Neji?" Tenten snapped, clenching and unclenching her fists in her anger.

"Because she felt unfaithful to Kankurou, that's why." Chouji realised, popping a piece of saltwater taffy into his mouth.

"What's there to feel unfaithful about?" Tenten retorted. "It's not like they're going out or anything like that…"

"You're just jealous." Garaa spoke up, and they all stared at him in shock, except for Tenten who looked furious.

"What did you just say?" She asked, with quiet rage.

"You're jealous because _you_ are in love with Neji, and wish that it was _you_ that he had chosen to kiss." Garaa sounded firm in his decision that _this_ was how Tenten should be feeling right at that moment.

Tenten's mouth dropped open, and they all realised that it was true.

Kai put a hand on Tenten's shoulder. "I know how it feels to love somebody," He glared at Temari and, mostly, at Shikamaru, and continued: "When they are in love with somebody else. I think that we should cut Neji – and Tenten – some slack."

There was a dull silence, which was soon broken by Mari screaming: "_SO YOU'D GO AGAINST YOUR OWN BEST FRIEND BECAUSE OF SOME SILLY CHILDHOOD CRUSH YOU HAD ON ANOTHER GIRL_!?!? _UNBELIEVABLE_!!!"

"Relax…" Somebody said for the third time, and it was Garaa putting his hands on Mari's shoulders.

"And you tell _Neji_ off for physical contact." Lee said to Garaa.

"Do you want me to cripple you again?" Garaa-Shukaku growled.

Temari stepped between them. "Enough!" She ordered. "There's to be no fighting! It will only make things worse! We need to find a way to resolve this problem!" She added.

"Too late." Tenten stared at the group across the room from her and her group. "It's gone _beyond_ repairing."

"I'll say." Chouji muttered, handing a piece of toffee to Mari, who chewed on it sullenly.

"It seems that we are dividing ourselves." Shino muttered.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Then I want you guys," Mari said to Tenten, Lee, Sakura, Ino, Sasuke, Kiba, Shino and Kai. "Out of my apartment _now_. From now on you are no longer welcome here."

"As is the case with _my_ apartment." Kai snapped, as he and the others turned to go.

Suddenly, the door flew open, and Kankurou burst in.

He was out of breath, his cheeks were flushed, and he looked more upset then anyone had _ever_ seen him.

"I can't…" He panted, leaning against the doorframe to catch his breath. "I can't find her…I can't find Emma _anywhere_! She's gone!"

**OMG! OMG! OMG! Where has Emma run off to? Is Neji with her? How can the groups resolve their differences, if they aren't even welcome in each other's apartments!?!?**

**Is this the end of their friendship…forever???**

**Meg: Shino, your turn!**

**Shino: Umm…no…**

**Meg: Oh, please!?!? Please? **_**Please**__**PLEASE**_

**Shino: Whoa, Meg…momenta…**

**Meg: What does Momentai mean?**

**Shino: It means relax, or 'chill out'. It's something that I think Terriermon used to say to Henry in Digimon Tamers. Why?**

**Meg: Oh…no reason… (Snickers)**

…

**Shino: Hey! You tricked me!**

**Meg: Momentai!**


	11. Realm

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Realm

IN KONOHA

Kakashi stared up at the sky, where a storm was beginning to brew. He removed his headband, and stared at the dark angry clouds with his usually hidden-eye. Through the clouds he could see a figure, with black hair and glowing red eyes, disappearing into a periwinkle blue and violet vortex, with flashes of lightning and beams of light dancing around him, as the crescent moon came out from behind a cloud, glowing blood-red.

"Blood-Red Moon…" Anko whispered, placing a hand up to her right shoulder.

"The ultimate omen foreseeing doom…" Baki couldn't tear his gaze away from the scene above them all. "I've seen it all before…"

"So…this is where it ends…" Gai muttered, keeping his eyes fixed on the flying wingless figure.

"No, Gai-San…" Kakashi shook his head, and replaced his headband across his eye. "This is where it _begins_…"

ON EARTH

There was a knock on Kai's door at 2AM in the morning. A sleepy Kai, wearing his Beyblade 1 pyjama top and bottom, trudged wearily to the door, and opened it an inch.

"Who goes there?" He yawned, still half-asleep.

"It's me, baka, let me in." Neji snapped, and pushed the door open wider.

"Huh? N…Neji-San?" Kai blinked, as Neji calmly strode into the kitchen and started making himself a cup of coffee. "You'll never be able to sleep if you drink that now." Kai added.

Neji shrugged. "Who cares? I don't."

"But I do." Said a voice from the couch. Tenten had also woken up when Neji had knocked on the door, and now her head with its untied chocolate brown hair popped out from behind the couch. "Neji-San, we _need_ you."

"Nobody needs me." Neji replied sullenly.

"_Yes_, we do. You're our leader." Tenten said stubbornly.

"No, no, no, I'm not your leader." Neji poured hot water into the cup. "Lee can do that."

"Much as I hate to say it, I would not do as good a job as you do." Now Lee had woken up, and was lying on the mattress on the floor, leaning on his elbows.

Neji didn't answer, and he just continued to pour the water.

"You know, acting like such a jerk isn't going to bring Emma back." Kai pointed out.

CRASH! Neji overfilled the glass with boiling hot water, scalding his hand and causing him to drop the glass – and the kettle – onto the tiled floor.

"Neji-San!" Tenten cried, vaulting over the back of the couch, and running to Neji's side.

"I'm fine, leave me alone!" Neji snapped, pushing her hands away.

"No, you're not." Kai came over, suddenly calm, and looked at the blistering skin on Neji's hand. "Let me perform a Healing Jutsu on that…if I can remember how Mari used to do it."

Neji looked like he was about to say no, but then Tenten put her hands on her hips, and said: "If you let Kai heal your wound, then I'll tell you what happened when you were gone!"

Neji contemplated this.

Tenten was staring at him firmly, silently begging him to make the right decision.

Finally, Neji sighed, and sat himself on the bench. "Fine. Just tell me what happened to Emma."

Garaa was sitting on the floor of Mari's living room, resting his eyes, when it came to him.

A vision, so powerful and so moving that it could have almost been real, if he hadn't still felt himself sitting on the yellow carpet of Mari's apartment…

And yet…he wasn't sitting there anymore…

He was sitting cross-legged in a void of periwinkle blue and vortex space that look oh so familiar. He wasn't sure what he was sitting _on_, exactly…

He was still sitting on Mari's floor…

But he was also floating in mid-air…

Inner-Garaa: What is this place?

"_Garaa-San, welcome to the void of my imagination…"_

Garaa looked up, and saw a figure moving towards him through the swirling mists of blue and purple.

It was Emma.

She was walking very slowly, but it was as if she wasn't walking on any sort of ground at all, but just floating in mid-air, which was what Garaa was doing.

And she, like him, was naked.

"_What's going on here?"_ Garaa asked, wondering why on earth he wasn't feeling even the slightest bit embarrassed, and why she wasn't either. _"Where exactly ARE we?"_

"_This is Realm, the corners that make up my mind."_ Emma replied, kneeling down in front of him, so that they were eye-to-eye. _"This is where my imagination and my memories take me, whenever my body cannot cope with the stress of the world. This is the centre of my mind, The Innocence. The reason we wear nothing and feel no shame is because we need not, because this is the purest point of me, the virtues I still hold dear."_

Garaa didn't say anything. With everything that had ever happened to him in his life, nothing shocked him anymore and Emma seemed to accept this, as she stood up, and beckoned him to follow her.

Walking across the endless space of blue and purple, Emma spoke again. _"I discovered this way into Realm just after I returned to earth from Konoha. But this is the first time I have ever been able to invite anyone else into it – you should feel honoured."_

"_But why me? Why not Kankurou?"_ Garaa wanted to know, and she smiled at him.

"_Because you and I are more alike then you think."_ She answered, and stopped walking. A rectangle of white light appeared before them, and Garaa felt a coldness coming through it.

"_We are about to enter another part of my mind,"_ Emma was telling him. _"And the other areas of Realm are not like the safety and amity of The Innocence. So remember, no matter what you see or experience, everything that happens is but a memory, and you cannot do anything about it."_

She took his hand, and they walked through the doorway of light…

"Wow…so that's what happened…" Neji shook his head in disbelief, and clenched the fist of his recently healed hand. "I should have never gotten so angry at her."

Inner-Neji: We should never have _kissed_ her…it makes me_ow_ feel so…cruel…

Neji: _You_ stay out of this!

Tenten though: "_I hope Neji's gonna be okay…_"

Garaa and Emma stood in the waiting room of a hospital. It was not Fremantle Hospital – a sign above the receptionist's desk read _Perth Maternity Hospital_.

"_Where IS this place?"_ Garaa asked. He could feel a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach, something that people often called _fear_.

"_This is The Changing."_ Emma muttered, keeping her eyes glued to a door at the end of the hallway. _"Come, I have something you must see."_

As Garaa followed Emma down the dimly lit hallway, he realised that the two of them were now clothed. She was wearing a short white dress and a hat with a red cross on it. He wore a long white coat, and a strange instrument called a stethoscope around his neck.

"_This way."_ Emma said, pushing open the door that bore the words _Infants Wing_.

As Garaa stepped inside, the feeling of dread grew even stronger in the pit of his stomach, and he soon saw why.

He understood why there had been nobody standing guard in the waiting room, no nurses or doctors, no patients.

They had all been executed.

A pile of corpses, bloody and lifeless, lay strewn carelessly around the room.

What sickened Garaa most of all, however, was the number of dead babies that littered the room. He had never felt so angry and horrified in his entire life.

"_How…how could ANYONE ever kill a baby, let alone THIS MANY!?!?"_ Garaa cried, and felt Emma's hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see her looking perfectly calm.

"_How…how can you be so relaxed?"_ He asked her.

"_This is a memory I have revisited so many times, that it no longer affects me in the way that it used to."_ She turned back to the centre of the room. _"Take a look."_ She pointed.

Garaa looked, and gasped, in spite of himself.

A dragon was crouched in the middle of the room, the lifeless bodies of a person dangling from each of its mouths. It had seven heads, and ten horns, and was scarlet red. 2.1 It also had ten tails, one for every horn.

The demon inside of Garaa stirred and growled.

"_This is Tatsujuu, the Ten-Tailed Dragon Demon."_ Emma whispered.

Garaa stared at her. _"A Tailed Demon?"_

"_Yes."_ She replied, still staring towards the centre of the room. _"Now, look by its feet…"_

Garaa looked back towards the demon, which had blood dripping from each of its mouths.

By its giant-clawed feet, wrapped up in white blankets stained with blood, lay the only other living thing in the hospital.

A baby girl, wearing a golden crown made up of twelve stars on her head, 2.2 was staring up at the monster with tearful hazel-green eyes, unlike all babies who had blue eyes when they were born.

"_That baby,"_ Emma whispered. _"Is me. This was what happened on the night that I was born. My parents are about to come in…"_

Behind them, the door that they had just come through suddenly swung open, and a man and woman rushed in, walking straight through the figures of Emma and Garaa.

"_They're your parents?"_ Garaa asked.

Emma nodded, keeping her eyes fixed on the two figures, as they took in the huge demon.

Then, Garaa heard another voice. It came from the demon himself.

**Heh heh heh.** It muttered, growling softly. **More humans for my feast…** Two of its heads shot forward, and snapped up the terrified man and woman in an instant. **And now…for this child…**

Do not do that, Tatsujuu.

Garaa and Emma watched in silence, as a pale snake-like man with long black hair appeared beside them.

It was Lord Orochimaru.

I have a use for this girl. And so do you. He spoke softly and evenly. Your body is weakened from the travel between these two worlds, as is mine. If you destroy this girl, then you will die, also.

**Then tell me…tell me Master, what must I do?** Tatsujuu shifted its position slightly. He, Garaa and the teenage Emma watched as Lord Orichimaru walked over to the baby, stooped down, and picked her up.

Little child, He said, with no emotion in his voice. He looked at the name-bracelet on her tiny little wrist. Called Emma. Emma No Oujou. 3 You will serve your purpose tonight. Your body shall become the host for Tatsujuu and you, in turn, will become my eternal and faithful servant when you reach the age of nineteen. I shall control the bodies of her parents using my Chakra, and she will grow up as sad and as lonely as I have, but with a demon inside of her…

**Master…thank you…**

I am not doing it for you. I want this girl to become strong – strong enough to defeat me…

Garaa stared at the scene before him, in shock for once…

Then, Emma and Garaa were falling, through a black tunnel filled with cold air. The landed on a grassy hill with a thud.

Garaa looked over at Emma. She was now wearing a blue school top, a short dark blue pleated skirt, and sneakers. He, Garaa, was wearing a similar blue top, navy blue shorts, and sneakers.

"_This area of my mind is called Lonely."_ Emma pointed to her left. _"See?"_

A little girl, wearing the same clothes as Emma, sat on a swing-set about three feet away from them.

It was Emma, as a seven-year-old girl.

_Why do they all tease me?_ Little Emma said to herself, wiping away her tears with her arm. _They all say that 'it's my fault', but what are they talking about? What did I do? I don't have any friends. Even my own parents hate me._

"_Nobody ever liked me at school."_ Teenage Emma whispered to Garaa. _"I know now that it was because of what happened seventeen years ago. They never saw the demon, and so blamed the deaths of everyone on me – an innocent child. They were forbidden to speak of it…but now I know…"_

She waved her hand again, and another portal appeared which she and Garaa stepped through.

They found themselves standing by the side of a road, both wearing black tops, jeans and boots.

"_Hold on…is that Mari and Kai?"_ Garaa pointed to the two kids, one older and one younger then the eleven year old Emma.

Emma nodded. _"Mmhmm. This was the first time we ever met, just after my 'parents' tried to kill me. See the fresh scars?"_

Garaa saw them, red and bleeding on her neck and stomach.

_I don't have any friends._ Eleven-year-old Emma was saying.

_Do you want to be our friend?_ Ten-year-old Mari chirped.

_But…what about what everybody says about me?_ Emma whispered.

_Who cares? We're just as strange._ Twelve-year-old Kai smiled. _My name is Kai._

_I'm Mari, nice to meet you!_

_And I'm Emma._

"_Mari and Kai were the only friends I ever had."_ Emma said, calling forth another portal. But she did not walk through it and, instead, turned to Garaa with an apologetic smile. _"It's almost morning. You have to leave now, or else you won't be able to go back. But I'll talk to you tomorrow."_ She paused. _"Sabaku No Garaa…tell no one…please…"_

And she pushed him through the black doorway, and Garaa found himself sitting in Mari's living room, drenched in a cold sweat.

**Wow! What a revelation! Emma has a Tailed Demon inside of her! That explains why she's able to use Jutsus! But why hasn't she told anyone aside from Garaa?**

** It's also worth pointing something out here – reading Sacrificial Bonds before you read any further is vital, considering what's going to happen as a sub-story, that will later become a large part of the story. So, if you haven't read about the Moon God, Amme, Rami and Keizer, then I think that you should… **

**Meg: I'll do half, and Shino will do half.**

**Shino: Sounds fair to me.**

**1 Beyblade is a Shounen series with a main character named Kai, so my Naruto Kai wearing those pyjamas was a sort of a pun.**

**Meg: Your turn, Shino!**

**2.1/2.2 The scarlet seven-headed ten-horned dragon is a mythological creature from The Bible, that was said to have appeared before Mary as she was wearing a twelve starred crown, and in labour. The dragon wanted to eat her newborn baby as it was born. I doubt that it had ten tails.**

**3 Oujou is the Japanese word for '**_**Death**_**', so literally **_**Emma Of Death**_


	12. Confrontation

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TWELVE

Confrontation

_I don't own 'I Wanna Know What Love Is' by Tina Arena – she does._

"It's the first time I haven't said hello to my team." Hinata whispered to Naruto the next morning.

"I know Hinata-Chan, I've got the same problem." He sighed. "Believe It…"

Hinata reached over and took his hand, as they sat on Mari's couch by themselves. Everybody else had gone out, most of them looking for Emma.

"Hey Hinata-Chan, I just had a really crazy idea!" Naruto grinned suddenly, and whispered something in her ear.

She blushed, but then smiled. "Okay. Let's _do it_."

Meanwhile, Kankurou was searching for Emma like there was no tomorrow. And for him, if he _couldn't_ find his beloved, then there really _was_ no tomorrow. He was joined in his search by Mari, Temari, Shikamaru and Chouji.

Nobody had said anything about the other relationships amongst the ninjas since their fight the day before, nor had they mentioned anything about love at all, but now Chouji brought it up, as they stood around on the roof of a building, contemplating where to go to next. He was standing next to Mari, looking around for any signs of their runaway shinobi 1 when all of a sudden he said: "Love is weird."

There was no reaction at first. Nobody freaked out or anything, or stared at him in shock. Shikamaru just kind of shrugged, Temari and Mari sort of went: "Hhnn…" and Kankurou barely even heard him.

"No, I mean it, it's so strange." Chouji mumbled, digging around in her pocket for a bag of potato chips. He tugged them out, and started to munch away, although not with his usual dexterity. "It's…like…_freaky_…"

Still nobody said anything; they were all staring at different places around The City.

"What _is_ love, and why does it make us do these things?" Chouji muttered, feeling defeated.

Finally Mari spoke. She came up to him, and gave him and the chips a great big cuddle. "_I wanna know what love is…_" She sung softly. "_I want you to show me. I wanna feel what love is…I know you control me…_"

The others politely tried not to watch, as Mari and Chouji shared a nice, sweet kiss, before Mari suddenly broke away from Chouji, having stolen his bag of potato chips.

"Hey!" He cried, as she dangled them in front of his face, and leapt out of the way as he made a mad snatch for them.

"Catch me if you can!" Mari cried playfully, shoving a handful of chips into her mouth, before using her Chakra to bound away over the rooftops, with Chouji in hot pursuit.

"Those two…" Temari remarked, putting her hands on her hips. "Both share a one track mind!"

"How troublesome." Shikamaru agreed, slinging his arm around Temari's shoulders.

Kankurou tried to ignore this little display of affection, as he tried to think of where Emma might be.

That night was a late-night shopping night. Those staying in Mari's apartment decided to go shopping at Carousel to buy some Christmas presents, unknowing that Kai's group had had the same idea. It was to their immense displeasure that they all ran into each other out the front, all of them dressed to the nines and clearly there for the same purpose. They glared icily at each other, as they walked inside, keeping as far away from each other as possible, before going their separate ways.

"Wow, this place is _huge_…" Hinata said, looking up in awe. "And it's so _beautiful_…"

The exterior of the building may have been quite boring, but the _interior_ of it was decked out to the fullest extent of Christmas decorations. A colourful array of red, gold and green Christmas tinsel was strung in a criss-crossing fashion from one wall to the other, amongst all of the hanging angels and Christmas bubals. In the centre of the shopping centre was a _huge_ Christmas Tree, that was at least ten feet tall and ten feet wide. Its soft green arms of fir were weighed down by drapes of tinsel, bubals and candy canes, as well as a sparkling string of twinkling lights. And, atop the tree on a place of honour, sat an angel, although she was too far up to make out clearly. But one could see her flowing white gown, her huge white angel wings, the golden halo shining around her head, and her childlike innocence and beauty.

Garaa stared at the angel as they walked past the tree.

The angel watched them calmly.

"She's beautiful…" Naruto said, glancing up at the angel. "But _you're_ even more beautiful, Hinata-Chan." Naruto added, taking Hinata's hand in his.

She giggled, and blushed slightly.

A person dressed as a Christmas elf was handing out candy canes.

"Merry Christmas!" She chirped, springing over to Mari's group, and giving each of them a red, white and green candy cane. "I'm Musha! Welcome to Carousel!" She had fox-coloured hair, bright green eyes, and a cute, pixie-like face. She was wearing a bright green tunic-like dress, and had her hair flowing loosely over her back.

She was also about 3'5".

"Whoa, how _young_ are you supposed to be?" Naruto bluntly asked her.

Her eyes flashed. "I'm _fifteen_, you baka! I just _look_ like a little kid, because of my height!"

"Could've fooled me…" Naruto mumbled.

"KYAAA!" Musha screeched, and pounced on Naruto, pounding him with a mallet she had produced from nowhere!

"Hi, my name's Mushi, and welcome to Carousel!" A girl wearing a red tunic, with her curly dark brown hair sticking out on either side of her head, smiled at them, and handed them each a candy-cane.

"Arigatoo." 2 Tenten, Lee, Sakura, Ino, Sasuke, Kiba, Shino, Neji and Kai all said at the same time.

Mushi giggled, as they started to walk off. "I like you guys! Almost as much as I like my pet bugs!"

"Huh?" Shino turned around, but Mushi had disappeared.

"Oh, I _hate_ shopping…" Naruto groaned, as Hinata, Temari and Mari ran into a clothes shop. He looked around suspiciously. "Where's the onmitu's 3 chair?" **(I LOVED that episode of The Simpsons, where Homer goes 'Where's the husband's chair?')**

He spied it, and was about to rush towards it and collapse into it, when Shikamaru beat him to it. He came flying out of nowhere, landing smoothly in the comfy padded chair. He crossed one of his legs over the other, and stared up at Naruto. "What?"

Naruto scowled, and went searching for another chair. He spied one, and was _just_ about to make a mad dash for it, when Chouji pushed past him, calling out: "MINE!" As he flung himself onto the seat, and began munching on a chocolate wafer.

"Aaw, man!" Naruto whined, trudging past the rows and racks of shoes, clothes and jewellery. He walked around a corner, and saw another chair, but this one was already occupied. Garaa was sitting in it, and he was asleep. Or, at least he _looked_ like he was asleep, but Naruto knew better. He crept closer to the chair, wondering if he could somehow bribe Garaa into letting him sit down instead, and was surprised to hear Garaa talking to himself.

_Man, what's the deal with him? He's talking to himself?_ Naruto wondered, as he settled himself down cross-legged on the floor in front of Garaa. _I wonder what he's saying?_

"Nnn…" Garaa muttered suddenly, startling Naruto out of his reverie. "I…I don't understand…"

_Don't understand what?_ Naruto wondered to himself, leaning in closer to hear what Garaa would say next.

"What…what did you do…how are you…Emma-Sama…"

Naruto's mouth dropped open in shock. Garaa sounded like he was talking to Emma! Was he mentally communicating with the girl, or was he really asleep and just dreaming? Naruto thought that Garaa couldn't _do_ that…

He waited.

"_How is it that…"_

"_Didn't you figure it out already? All of my abilities come from Tatsujuu, the demon within me."_

"_So…Tatsujuu is still inside of you?"_

"_For now, yes."_

"_But…how can you control it so well?"_

"_How can you not control Shukaku so well?"_

"…"

"_?"_

"_What do you mean…for now…???"_

"_Welll…"_

Garaa's eyes snapped open, and he found Naruto and the others staring blankly at him.

"Where's Kankurou?" Garaa asked.

"It ends here, Hyuga!" Kankurou snarled, clenching his fists.

"Once and for all!" Neji agreed, sounding fierce.

They were standing on the roof of Carousel, amongst the cars. There was not another soul in sight, and Kankurou and Neji were getting ready to rip each other apart, limb for limb. Anger was building up around them, and their Chakra began to glow _red_.

Kankurou's thoughts were only for Emma, and the terrible thing that Neji had done to her. He hated everything about Neji, and wanted to get rid of him _now_, for his own sake and Emma's sake.

Neji was thinking about Emma too, and how much he thought he wanted her. But slowly, casually, his thoughts turned to Tenten, and how disappointed she would be if she were here.

And, sure enough, just as Kankurou was summoning his puppets, and Neji was activating his bloodline, their two groups ran onto the top level of the car-park.

"Uh oh…" Hinata gasped.

"SSSTTTOOOPPP!!!" Temari and Tenten both screamed at the same time. Temari leapt forward and grabbed her brother's arms, stopping him from summoning Karasu. Tenten ran to Neji's side and grabbed his hand, pulling him back.

"Neji-San, please, don't do it!" Tenten cried, her pretty brown eyes filling with tears. "Please stop! No more fighting!"

Neji tried to pull away from her, his bloodline still activated.

"Whoa!" Lee cried, rushing to Tenten's aid to try to restrain their furious team-mate. "Neji-Kun, please, just calm down!"

"Why should I?" Neji spat on the ground, although he was starting to calm down a little bit.

At the same time, Kankurou was still struggling to get free of Temari's grip, but Garaa's sand put an end to that. It grabbed a hold of both the onmitsu, pulling them high into the air, as all heads swivelled towards the red-headed Kazekage, standing in the middle of the car park.

"Enough!" He commanded, holding up his hands in a final movement. "This is _not_ the way of the ninja! Senseless arguing, petty rivalry – it all means nothing! It is the _least_ important of our worries, when compared to what is about to happen!"

"Otouto, what the _hell_ are you talking about?" Kankurou called from way up in the air. "Put me down, you mindless street urchin!" 4

Garaa glared at him, and Kankurou shut up.

"It concerns _you_, most of all, Kankurou-Kun." Garaa replied coolly. "It's about Emma."

Everybody on the roof except for Garaa gasped then.

That was cool.

Garaa folded his arms. "Emma," He said, looking at each of them in the eye in turn. "Is in the _gravest_ of dangers. Her _life_ is at stake here, and we don't have time to waste fighting amongst ourselves."

Mari and Kai exchanged a glance, and nodded, silently agreeing to _keep_ silent.

_They_ knew what Garaa was about to say…

Then, they remembered that they were fighting, and snapped their heads around the other way, turning their backs on each other.

"Emma has been burdened," Garaa continued. "With a curse not unlike my own, and Naruto's. For she has…" He paused, and then said meaningfully: "Tatsujuu."

Temari gasped.

"No!" Naruto, Hinata and Lee cried.

"Kyaa!" Sakura and Ino shrieked.

Kankurou and Neji both stared at Garaa in shock, eyes wide, teeth gritted, fists clenched by their sides.

Garaa's sand let go of them then, and they landed on the ground, on their feet, still staring at Garaa, who said: "On the fall of this New Year, which subsequently happens to be a _full moon_¸ Emma is going to suffer a _fate worse then death_. She doesn't know how, and she doesn't exactly _why_, but she needs our protection."

"How do you know all this?" Sakura whispered.

"Emma spoke to me, in her mind and my mind." Garaa replied simply. "She's scared, and hiding out for now. But tonight she spoke to me for the second time, and this is what she told me."

He glared at Neji, and then Kankurou, before shifting his gaze to the rest of the group.

"She's not going to come out until everyone _stops fighting_, and that means _everyone_ has to call a truce." Garaa said quietly, staring up at the sky. "Otherwise she's not gonna trust us."

"I don't think…" Neji muttered, and they all looked at him. "That Emma will _ever_ trust me, ever again. Not after the things we said to each other." He looked up, with hard, glassy eyes, and held up a hand. "Sayonara." 5 He said, and jumped onto another part of the building, before disappearing over its side.

"NO!" Tenten screamed, tears clouding her eyes, as she ran to the side of the building, and Lee had to grab her arm to stop her from going overboard. "NO! NEJI-SAN! NE-JI-SA-N!" She howled.

_Emma stared up at the sky, tears cascading down her face. "Oh Tenten-San." She whispered. "I'm SO sorry, I really am. Please…forgive me…"_

**What the hell is **_**Emma**_** sorry for? And **_**where**_** is she? Where's Neji going? Will the groups call a truce after all, for Emma's sake?**

**Shino: Don't worry Meg, I got this one covered.**

**Meg: THANK YOU! Hug!**

**Shino: WHA-AA-AA!?!?**

**1 Runaway Shinobi was a term used in the X-Box game, Dead Or Alive III.**

**2 Arigatoo is Japanese for 'thank you'.**

**3 Onmitsu is a term used to describe a **_**male**_** ninja. Kunoichi is used for **_**female**_** ninjas.**

**4 A mindless street urchin is something Babbo calls Ginta in MÄR.**

**5 Sayonara is Japanese for 'goodbye'.**


	13. Divided We Fall

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Divided We Fall…

_I also don't own the song 'These Days' by Powderfinger, or 'Better Then Me' by Hinder._

Mari and Kai stood in the midst of their Christmas holiday home, which was in Burswood.

"Okay Mari-San, that's it." Kai crossed his arms and glared at Mari.

Mari jutted out her chin, and stared back, defiantly.

"This is the end of it, alright?" Kai continued. "Christmas is fast approaching, and it's time we all shaped up – especially _you_."

Mari didn't answer.

"So," Kai said, a little too firmly. "You may _not_ have anymore desserts up until New Year."

Mari finally spoke. "Fine and dandy."

"You may not have any _sweets_ until Boxing Day." Kai went on.

"That's just peachy." Mari replied.

"You are also forbidden to eat anything with _salt_ on it." Kai said.

"Okay." Mari was calm.

"And," Kai finished, fixing Mari with a steely glare. "I have filled in the tunnel to the refrigerator."

"My life is over."

Meanwhile, their friends were busy exploring their new house. It had belonged to Emma's parents, and they visited it every December. The only reason they had stayed in Fremantle was because of Emma's job, and where she was made to live now…

But _now_…

"This is about the same size as the house we stayed in three years ago." Temari commented to her younger brothers, who nodded sullenly.

"It's got _wicked_ Fox Tel reception!" Naruto discovered, as he parked himself in front of the TV, which was a wide-flat-screen.

"The view is _amazing_!" Sakura declared, leaning out the window, and Ino agreed.

Shino was listening to Kai's I-Pod.

_It's coming round again  
The slowly creeping hand  
Of time and its command  
Soon enough it comes  
and settles in its place  
Its shadow in my face  
Puts pressure in my day…  
_

"But there's only eight rooms." Kiba announced.

The music screeched to a stop, and everybody stared at him.

"You're _joking_…" Temari put her hands on her hips. "_Tell me_ you're not _serious_!"

"He is, sorry." Mari said, as she and Kai came into the large living room. She walked over to a desk, and started to riffle through it.

"You mean…we have to…share rooms?" Ino gasped. _I wanna be with both Sakura AND Sasuke! Who will I get? I could get NEITHER of them!_

Inner-Ino chucks a tempi-tanti… 1

"How troublesome." Shikamaru sighed, and rolled his eyes at Temari, who smiled, unworried.

"Okay, so here's how we're gonna do this." Mari declared, turning around and holding up a long piece of paper and a blue pen. "We're gonna use the _Random-Draw On Paper_ method!"

"Oh…" Everyone except for Mari and Kai groaned.

"So," Mari brandished the pen and paper like a sword and shield. "Everybody go up to the desk, and write your name on the paper."

Everybody obliged, making sure no one saw where the others wrote their name.

"Hey, how come you and Kai didn't write your names?" Naruto asked.

"Cause' Kai and I have our own rooms…" Mari paused. "Emma's also got her own room…uh…anyway…" She started to draw lines like a table on the paper, and let everybody add in their own lines, so that it looked like a ladder, before penning in the numbers from one to eight at the top, twice each, so that it went one one, two two etc. Then she said: "Now, let's hope there's no double-ups!" She uncovered the names, and everyone leaned in for a closer look.

"Nah, I'm gonna do this _my_ way!" Mari hid the paper away, and examined it. "Hmm…"

"What?" Naruto cried.

"Well…" Mari muttered.

"What is it?" Ino was nervous.

"What the…???" Mari blinked.

"What's wrong?" Temari gasped.

"Oh my, my, my…" Mari was _really_ enjoying herself now.

Inner-Sakura: AAAUUURRRGGGHHH!!!

Sakura said: "Mari-Chan, are you finished yet?"

Mari nodded, and whispered something in Kai's ear. He retrieved a marker from the desk, and left the room. Mari then went around from person-to-person, whispering a number in their ear and sending them on their ways.

As they left, she examined the sheet again.

By starting at the name on the lower left-hand side of the page (Shikamaru's) and following the ladder up, going across whenever it reached a horizontal, Shikamaru's name joined up to the number six on top of the page. Using this fashion the other names, Mari had quickly determined who would be rooming with whom.

And she wasn't exactly happy about it.

But her unhappiness was short-lived.

The door to Kai's room opened, and in walked Shikamaru.

"Oh for God's sake!" Kai cried, jumping to his feet.

"This is troublesome…" Shikamaru agreed.

"Home-wrecker!" Kai pointed accusingly at Shikamaru, who regarded him coolly.

In the room next to them, a similar fight was breaking out.

"YOU'RE KIDDING!!!" Ino screamed, flinging a throw-pillow at the wall separating Kai's room and the room she had just walked into, to find Shino sitting on one of the beds, talking to an abnormally large cockroach. "I AM _NOT_ STAYING IN THE SAME ROOM WITH A ROACH AND THE RECLUSE WHO TALKS TO IT!"

Shino stared at her from behind his glasses. "Are you going to spread your make-up out all over the floor?"

"Not in this room, I'm not." Ino said angrily, picking up her suitcase and striding angrily next-door.

"COME IN!" Naruto yelled from the other side of the door, and Ino walked in just as Naruto ducked, and Ino got hit in the face with a pillow thrown by Naruto's female team-mate.

"GYAA!" Sakura screamed, turning red, and running over to her best friend. "Ino-Chan? Are you okay?"

Ino picked herself up off the floor, and dusted herself off. "Aside from having to stay with bug-boy and getting pelted in the face with a pillow by my _supposed_ best friend…no. I am not."

"That _bug-boy_," Came a voice from behind Ino. "Is my team-mate." It was Kiba, and he and Akamaru had just come out of a room across the hallway. "And he's not _nearly_ as bad as having _youth-boy_, _believe it_." He mimicked Naruto, as Lee came bounding up to them.

"No offence Hinata-San," Sasuke glanced over his shoulder at her. "But this won't work out, okay. No hard feelings, I'll go find Naruto."

"Umm…okay…" Hinata muttered, sitting down on the single bed and blushing.

In the hallway, which was around the corner from the other rooms, Sasuke ran into Tenten.

"Hi Sasuke-Kun, wanna trade rooms?" Tenten asked him and, without even waiting for an answer, bounded down the hallway towards Hinata's room.

"Hinata's not gonna like this…" Sasuke muttered, as he adjusted the straps of his backpack, and headed into the room that Tenten had just come out of.

Garaa was standing in the middle of the room.

"_Goodbye_." Sasuke didn't break his stride as he turned around and walked out again. When he'd shut the door, he shuddered. "Ewh-h-h…_Garaa_…"

"What about him?"

Temari had just come up behind him, and Sasuke jumped.

"You bad-mouthing my brother?" Temari snapped.

"You got PMS again?" Sasuke replied, which earned him a slap. "What's _your_ problem?"

"_That_." Temari said, pointing over her shoulder at Chouji, who was standing in the doorway to the room she had just come out of. "No way I'm sharing a bed with _that_…_thing_…he's…f…"

Before she could utter the dreaded 'f word', Mari and Kankurou seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Fine. He's fine!" Mari proclaimed firmly, going over to take Chouji's hand. "Forget the random-draw, everyone just pick someone and stick with it. Come on, Chouji-Chan." She led Chouji down the hall to her room, saying: "My room's got its own _kitchen_…"

"Forget the random-draw then, huh?" Temari smirked, as Tenten and Hinata crept into the hallway. "Then I'm going to find S…_somebody_…" She blushed, and walked around the corner.

"This is annoying." Garaa said, walking out of the room and making everyone jump.

Everyone was rushing back and forth, trading rooms and swapping room-mates.

But by tea-time, everyone was, to some degree, comfortable with the sleeping arrangements.

Tenten was staying in Kai's room. He had sacrificed the bed for her, and was sleeping on his couch. Tenten had to admit she wasn't 100 comfortable with having pictures from male adult magazines staring down at her, so Kai took the most obscene ones down.

Temari found Shikamaru. Or Shikamaru found Temari. Well, at any rate, they found each other, and claimed the white and yellow room at one end of the hallway as their own, throwing down their things, locking the door and engaging in a strangely thrilling make-out session on the queen sized bed.

That picture was almost identical to the room opposite, where Hinata and Naruto lay on the surprisingly small double-bed, surrounded by the white-wash walls and each other. Nothing else mattered, except for the two of them. Hinata had stopped feeling shy, and Naruto was pretty happy being with her.

"It's perfect." Ino said, stretching her arms out wide, as she gazed around at the dark blue walls, with a purple trim and black ceiling.

"No." Sasuke said, with a small smile. "_You're_ perfect." He didn't even bother to lock the door, as he walked over to Ino and started to kiss her.

Inner-Ino: YYYEEESSS!!!

"What a youthful room!" Lee declared, smiling around at the sport and movie-star posters on the pale pink walls around him.

Sakura sat down on one of the two single beds. "Hey, Lee-Kun?"

"Yes Sakura-Chan, my youthful room-mate?" Lee turned to look at her, and saw that she looked totally serious, but her cheeks were pink.

"I like you." Sakura admitted. "And I'm glad we're room-mates."

Inner-Lee: YYYEEESSS!!!

Lee made the V-for-victory sign, and cried: "YYYEEESSS!!!"

Sakura sweatdropped.

"So, what do you want to do?" Mari asked Chouji, closing the last drawer of the bedside table in her bright pink and canary yellow room. "We could go see what the others are doing, or I could show you the rest of the house…" She turned around, and saw the napkin around Chouji's neck. She frowned. "Or we could go eat."

"Hey, Shino-Kun?" Kiba called from the ensuite (dunno how you spell it, but it's a bathroom connected to a bedroom).

Shino got up from one of the two single beds, and walked over to Kiba. He cautiously peered over his team-mate's shoulder.

"You're a bug expert, so tell me – what's that _thing_ in there?"

Shino looked.

"Oi, you talkin' 'bout me? Why don't you come over here and say it to my face, mutt-boy!" Said the 6'0" roach wearing glasses and a homies jacket, as he crossed his arms and glared at Kiba.

Shino reached over and carefully pulled the door shut.

"Yeah, you'd _better_ run, punk ass!" The roach called after him.

Akamaru growled softly.

"Mutt!" The roach called through the door.

"Wow, yeah, that's one _bad_ roach…" Shino commented.

"_Bad roach_!?!?" Kiba squeaked.

"We'll get some traps."

"The last room is in the _attic_?" Kankurou and Garaa climbed the steps, and pushed open the trap-door. "Where's the light?"

"Dunno." Garaa replied, checking the room out, but he could hardly see anything.

"Sure is _dusty_ in here…" Kankurou picked his way across the room, coughing. "Could use a good _sweep_…"

Garaa knelt down, and poked at the floor. "This is…quaint…"

"Garaa-Kun…" Kankurou sighed, as he searched around for a light-switch.

"This isn't dust on the floor you know," Garaa looked up at Kankurou. "It's _sand_. If you wake up in the morning and find yourself _dead_, it was me."

"I'll keep that in mind." Kankurou replied sarcastically, as he finally found the light-switch and flicked it on. "Aha!"

_This life well it's slipping right through my hands  
These days turned out nothing like I had planned…_

Kankurou stared at one thing and one thing only. He didn't notice the pale pink walls with their peeling paint. He didn't notice the single bed, sheets unmade. He didn't even notice the sand that Garaa was now collecting for himself.

Kankurou stared at Kankurou.

_It's coming round again  
The slowly creeping hand  
Of time and its demands...  
It settles in its place  
Its shadow in my face  
Puts pressure in my day  
Soon enough it comes  
Here it is again  
The slowly creeping hand  
Of time and its command  
Soon enough it comes  
It settles in its place  
Puts pressure in my day  
Undignified and lame_  
_  
_

Neji didn't know where he was. He didn't know when he was. He didn't even know _what_ he was anymore.

Nothing else mattered.

The darkness was almost blinding for him, as he came to a stop, because someone was approaching him.

"I have been waiting for you…Hyuga-Boy…" Lord Orichimaru hissed.

_This life well it's slipping right through my hands  
These days turned out nothing like I had planned  
Control well it's slipping right through my hands  
These days turned out nothing like I had planned_

Soon enough it comes  
Soon enough it comes  
To tie us down

It's coming round again,

_The slowly creeping hand…_

Kankurou had seen this puppet before, only once before. It was carved in the _exact_ image of him, a small replica of his thirteen-year-old self…no…wait…

As Kankurou and now Garaa watched, the puppet's features began to change. It grew older, looked stronger; the facepaint changed its position…

When it was done, Kankurou was now staring at himself in the puppet's hallow eyes.

Garaa stayed silent.

A little beam of blue light appeared before them, and a clear, melodic voice rang out:

_I think you can do much better then me,_

_After all the lies that I made you believe,_

_Guilt kicks in and I start to see,_

_The edge of your bed where your nightgown used to be,_

_I told myself I won't miss you,_

_But I remember,_

_What it feels like beside you…_

_I really miss your hair in my face,_

_And the way your innocence tastes,_

_And I think you should know this – you deserve much better then me…_

"Emma-Dono…" Kankurou gasped, as the blue light blinded them, and Emma screamed out 'NEJI IS IN DANGER!!!'

**Something's gonna happen…but what?**

**I dunno. I'm sorta winging it. I got the next few over-plots worked out…but details, details, details…sigh…**

**Ino: I had a tempi-tanti! 1 Which is a temper tantrum!**

**Meg: Where's Shino?**

**Ino: Hi Meg.**

**Meg: Hi Ino. Where's Shino?**

**Ino: Dealing with the **_**bad roach**_**…**

**Meg: Oh, I get it. That cockroach don't stand no chance…**


	14. The Day Before

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Day Before

_I also don't own 'I Don't Wanna Be In Love' by Good Charlotte_

"IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS!" Mari screamed, dancing around the house on the 24th of December, wearing a red bathrobe with a white obi, green socks and reindeer antlers. "YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVE ABOUT CHRISTMAS?" She shouted to everybody else, sitting around in the living room.

"The presents?" Sakura tried.

"The nativity-story?" Lee wondered.

"The special Christmas ramen?" That was Naruto, of course.

"The Christmas carols?" Temari trilled.

"The vacation from work?" Shikamaru questioned.

"The Christmas turkey?" Chouji guessed.

"The mistletoe?" Ino winked at Sasuke.

"The angels?" Sasuke sweatdropped.

"The tinsel?" Hinata muttered.

"The Christmas crackers?" Shino spoke up.

"The City-Wide-Sale?" Tenten speculated.

"The Christmas tree?" Kiba was grooming Akamaru's coat.

"The…" Garaa checked the notes on his hand. "Err…joyous festivities of the…umm…occasion?"

_Cricket…cricket…_

Mari sweatdropped. "UH…NO…BUT, NICE TRY GARAA-SAN! DOES ANYBODY KNOW!?!?" Her case seemed to be permanently locked on capital.

Kai was stringing popcorn on the tree, and had string in his mouth, so he couldn't reply, but Kankurou did it for him.

"The unification of friends and family, to enjoy spending time with those you love." Kankurou said very clearly.

Everybody stared at him.

"YES!" Mari replied. "BUT…WE'RE NOT ALL HERE, ARE WE!?!?"

They all looked at Tenten, sitting on the floor by herself mending a skirt, and then at Kankurou, staring sullenly out the window.

"I wonder where…Neji is…" Hinata snuggled closer to Naruto on the love-seat, and stared up at the night sky.

_She's going out to forget they were together  
All that time he was taking her for granted  
She wants to see if there's more  
than he gave she's looking for _

Lord Orichimaru smiled evilly. "Yes…only _you_ deserve Emma…not that Sand Ninja!"

"Only I…deserve…Emma…" Neji repeated, his eyes glazing over. 

_He calls her up  
He's trippin on the phone now  
He doesn't want her out there  
And alone now  
He knows she's movin it  
Knows she's using it  
Now he's losing it  
She don't care_

"But she didn't _appreciate_ you…" Lord Orichimaru continued, seeing the completion in phase two of his master-plan. "You gave her the best in the world – and she _ran away from you_…"

"She…doesn't…appreciate…me…" Neji sounded sad.

_Everybody put up your hands  
Say I don't wanna be in love  
I don't wanna be in love  
Feel the beat now  
If you've got nothing left  
Say I don't wanna be in love  
I don't wanna be in love_

"And what about that Sand Ninja?" Lord Orichimaru pressed, feeling success near. "He _stole_ her from you!"

"He…stole her…from me…" Neji's voice was different now, like a low growl. He was getting angry.

_Back it up now  
You've got a reason to live  
Say I don't wanna be in love  
I don't wanna be in love  
Feelin' good now  
Don't be afraid to get down  
Say I don't wanna be in love  
I don't wanna be in love_

"Are you going to let him get away with that?"

"No!"

"Are you going to get what you want?"

"Yes!"

"Are you the weak Hyuga you used to be?"

"No!"

"Are you going to destroy Kankurou?"

"YES!"

_He was always giving her attention  
Looking hard to find the things she mentioned  
He was dedicated  
But most suckers hate it  
That girl was fine  
But she didn't appreciate him _

_  
Feelin' good now  
Don't be afraid to get down  
Say I don't wanna be in love  
I don't wanna be in love_

Emma gasped.

**Why? Why did she gasp? What just happened to Neji!?!? AAUURRGGHH!!**


	15. The Day Of

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Day Of

_I also don't own 'Unfaithful', by Rhianna. (Hope I spelt that right, I don't think I did…)_

_And I don't own the song 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas'. I dunno who does. Some guy._

_Same with the other carols._

'_As Long As There's Christmas' is from Beauty & The Beast The Enchanted Christmas, owned by Walt Disney…people…_

"_We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy new year!"_

_KAI: "Glad tidings we bring, to you and your Kin…"_

Everyone present at the house woke up at 5:00AM, and stampeded downstairs to get some presents and, in some people's cases, food.

"_We wish a merry Christmas, and a happy new year!"_

Sakura and Ino exchanged gifts, Sasuke got something for Ino, Sakura and Lee got each other gifts, Lee got something for Tenten and Mari brought something for everyone!

_MARI: "Now bring us some figgy pudding…"_

_CHOUJI: "Now bring us some figgy pudding…"_

_BOTH: "Now bring us some figgy pudding, and sing in good cheer!_

"_We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas! We wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy new year!"_

Mari and Kai brought in a breakfast of eggnog, eggs Benedict, butter pancakes and ramen for Naruto. Garaa just stared at the pancakes.

"I've never had a pancake before." He admitted.

Everyone stared at him, before Mari held out a plate, shyly.

Garaa picked up a fork, and took a big bite of pancake.

_TEMARI: "We won't go until we get some…"_

_KANKUROU: "We won't go until we get some…"_

_BOTH: "We won't go until we get some, so…"_

GARAA: "I LOVE PANCAKES!!!"

Sasuke was in surprisingly high spirits, as he helped Ino clear away the wrapping paper.

_SASUKE: I saw Ino kissing Sasuke…_

Sasuke drew Ino into his arms, and kissed her passionately, as she blushed with pleasure.

Suddenly, Akamaru ran in wearing reindeer antlers, followed by Hinata, Kiba, Mari and Shikamaru. The dog ran into the Christmas tree, which fell over.

Akamaru looked over at them, with a big red nose where he'd hit it.

_MARI: "Akamaru, the red-nosed canine! Had a very shiny nose!"_

_INO: "Oh! Like a light bulb!"_

_SASUKE: "And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows…" (WTF am I singing?)_

_INO: "Like a light bulb!"_

_KIBA: "All of the other residents, used to laugh and call him names!"_

_SHIKAMARU: "Like Pinochi-Dog…"_

_HINATA: "They never let Akamaru, join in rainy-day games…"_

_SASUKE: "Like Oshikura-Manju!" 1_

_INO: "Then one foggy Christmas eve…"_

_HINATA: "Kiba came to say…"_

_BOTH: "Yo! Yo! Yo!"_

_INO, HINATA & MARI: "Akamaru with your nose so bright! _

_SHIKAMARU & SASUKE: "You look like a Christmas light!"_

_MARI: "Then all the ninja loved him!"_

_INO: "And they shouted out with glee…"_

_BOTH: "YIPEE!"_

_HINATA: "Akamaru, the red-nosed canine…"_

_INO: "You'll go down in history!"_

_SASUKE: "Like me!"_

_HINATA (Sweatdrops): "You'll go down in history!"_

_SASUKE: "Like me!"_

_SHIKAMARU: "You'll go down in history…"_

_MARI: "If you say that one more time, Sasuke-Kun, I'll pawn you!"_

_SASUKE: "…"_

KIBA: "Geez, _thanks_ guys. I'm sure Akamaru feels a _lot_ better now…"

AKAMARU: "Bark!"

It was then time to get ready for the party at Burswood!

"_There's more to this time of year…then sleigh bells and holly…mistletoe, and snow…those things come and go, much deeper then snow, stronger then the strongest love we'll know…we'll ever know…"_

Mari carefully brushed her honey-coloured hair until it shone, complimentary to her scarlet red cocktail dress.

_MARI: "As long as there's Christmas, I truly believe…that hope is the greatest, of the gifts we'll receive…"_

Kai came up beside her, wearing his best suit.

_KAI: "As long as there's Christmas, we'll all be just fine…the star shines above us…"_

_BOTH: "Lighting your way…and mine…"_

Somebody went past the door, skipping happily.

_CHOUJI: "Just as long as there's Christmas, there will be Christmas pud! Tons of turkey?"_

_HINATA: "And cranberry sauce, and there's pies if we're good."_

NARUTO: "What about ramen?"

He and Chouji were dressed to the nines, and Hinata wore a snow-white flared dress.

_NARUTO: "Loads of logs on the fire!"_

_SAKURA & INO: "Lots of gifts on the tree!"_

_SAKURA: "All wrapped up in…"_

_INO: "Red ribbons!"_

_NARUTO: Wonder if there's one for me?"_

Sakura was wearing red, and Ino was wearing white. Naruto had found an orange suit…somewhere…

_SHIKAMARU: We're due for a party, where on earth do we start?"_

_TEMARI: "I may wear my tiara!" _(She sings something else here, but I dunno what it is, it's in French…)

Temari was wearing a golden coloured dress, and had managed to get Shikamaru into a suit with a bow-tie.

In the living room, Kiba (suit), Tenten (dark green and red dress) and Shino (suit) were envisioning what the ballroom would look like.

_KIBA: "All the silver will sparkle!"_

_TENTEN: "And the China will gleam!"_

_SHINO: "And we'll all be as shiny as a brand-new sonti!"_

Lee bounded in wearing a green suit, followed by Sakura, Sasuke and Ino. Hinata trailed in daintily behind them.

_LEE: "After dinner we'll play games!"_

_HINATA: "Til' the morning right through!"_

_SASUKE: "Then we'll meet in the garden; this is what we shall do!"_

Lee, Sakura, Ino, Sasuke, Hinata, Kiba, Shino and Tenten all joined hands.

_GIRLS: "We'll build a snowman!"_

_BOYS: "That will reach to the sky!"_

Hinata twirled gracefully around the room and landed in Naruto's arms.

_HINATA: "It will stay up until July…"_

NARUTO: "Uh, Hinata-Chan? We don't _have_ snow here, remember?"

HINATA: "Huh? Oh yeah…"

Everybody started to drift into the living room then, Shikamaru giving Temari a piggyback ride.

Kai didn't mind.

Mari said that she'd kept to her diet, and now was going to 'pig-out'.

Kai didn't mind.

They all stood around by the Christmas tree, and looked up at the star on top of it.

_GIRLS: "As long as there's Christmas, I truly believe…that hope is the greatest, of the gifts we'll receive…"_

_BOYS: "As long as there's Christmas, we'll all be just fine…"_

_GARAA: "There'll always be Christmas…"_

Everybody stared at him. They hadn't even heard him and Kankurou come in, both wearing suits.

_KANKUROU: "So there always will be a time, when the world…is filled with peace…and love…"_

"_Dashing through the snow, in a one horse-open sleigh…"_

The onmitsu and kunoichi sat on two horse-drawn carriages heading into Burswood.

Mari and Kai had hired them, as a surprise.

Shikamaru, Temari, Mari, Chouji, Kankurou, Garaa, Hinata and Naruto sat in a carriage pulled by a large bay Clydesdale.

Mari was driving.

Tenten, Kai, Kiba, Shino, Ino, Sasuke, Sakura and Lee were sitting in a carriage being pulled by a feathery white Shire.

Kai was driving.

Someone was hopefully gonna come and collect the horses when they reached Burswood.

_MARI: "Through the fields we go!"_

_NARUTO & HINATA: "Laughing all the way!"_

_Ho ho ho ho!_

_SASUKE: "Bells on bobtails ring…" (WTF am I singing?)_

_INO: Making spirits bright!_

_LEE & SAKURA: "Oh what fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight!"_

_CHOUJI: "Hey!"_

_ALL: "Jingle bells! Jingle bells! Jingle all the way!"_

_TENTEN: "Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!"_

_KIBA: "Hey!"_

_ALL: "Jingle bells! Jingle bells! Jingle all the way!"_

They all looked at Garaa. He sighed.

_GARAA: "Ohwhatfunitistorideinaonehorseopensleigh."_

And that was the end of that.

The party was, at the start, the most fun they'd all ever had in their lives.

They went around eating every single dish they could get their hands on, Chouji most of all. Kai and Mari got together with some people they knew, and the introductions began. Someone _nearly_ recognised them, but Mari saved the day by saying they were cosplayers.

The kid seemed to accept that.

Towards the end of the evening, the group drifted apart for awhile. They went off in groups of two to four, and this is what they were doing:

Shikamaru and Temari fell asleep on the same chair, and Kai, Shino and Kiba snickered and took photos of them on Kai's phone until Tenten made them stop. Lee and Sakura, and Sasuke and Ino had been dancing up a storm on the dance floor – they tied for the dance kings and queens, in fact. Mari and Chouji didn't even notice this, because they had staked out an actual _fortress_ by the all-you-can-eat-buffet-table. Together they attacked a delicious suckling pig.

Garaa disappeared for half-an-hour, and all anybody knew was that his face showed up on the front page of the newspaper the next day.

Naruto and Hinata _also_ disappeared for awhile, and the others suspected something was up.

Kankurou didn't like the way Hoshi was staring at him.

He had managed to avoid the raven-haired girl since getting back together with Emma – but it hadn't been easy. Hoshi was _everywhere_ Kankurou was when they were at work, and always managed to show up when he least expected her.

He didn't like that. It made him feel like a _stalkee_.

Hoshi was dressed in about two square inches of blood red Christmas clothes (a dress, in other words) and was smiling at him with a mischievous look in her violet eyes.

"What?" Kankurou finally had to ask.

Hoshi pointed up, and Kankurou looked.

Dangling above their heads was a sprig of green leaves thingy with some red on it.

_Mistletoe…_

A lot of people were staring at them now, as Hoshi inched her way bit by bit up to Kankurou.

"Come on, kiss me Kankurou-Kun." Hoshi smiled at him.

Kankurou couldn't smile back. Images of Neji and Emma flashed through his mind. An accidental kiss. That's what it had been. And it was about to happen to him.

"I…Hoshi-San…I…I can't…" Kankurou muttered.

Hoshi paused. "Why not?" She pressed.

"Because I…well…I've already…" Kankurou broke off, as the music changed from Silent Night to something else.

Piano music…

Then…

_And I know that he knows I'm unfaithful,_

_And it kills him inside,_

_To know that I am happy with some other guy…_

_I can see him dying…_

The crowd parted, creating a gap all the way from Kankurou and Hoshi to the jukebox.

Emma stood there, staring at Kankurou.

He gasped.

_I don't wanna do this anymore,_

_I don't wanna be the reason why,_

_Every time I walk out the door,_

_I see him die a little more inside,_

_I don't wanna hurt him anymore,_

_I don't wanna take away his life,_

_I don't wanna be…a murderer…_

Emma was wearing a snow-white dress, which trailed down to the floor and made her look like an angel.

The look on her face…was hard to read.

She was pretty far away.

Kankurou gently pushed past Hoshi, to get a better look at Emma.

_I don't wanna do this anymore,_

_I don't wanna be the reason why,_

_Every time I walk out the door,_

_I see him die a little more inside,_

_I don't wanna hurt him anymore,_

_I don't wanna take away his life,_

_I don't wanna be…a murderer…_

She wasn't angry.

She wasn't accusing.

She wasn't even upset.

She was confused – as confused as Kankurou had been when he'd seen Neji kissing Emma.

By now, the other ninja had become aware of what had just happened – or, what _was_ happening.

"Kankurou-Kun!" Tenten called, pushing her way through the crowd. "Don't let her get away again!"

Emma seemed to be broken out of her reverie just then. She snapped her head to the side. "Huh? Oh! Tenten-San! You…you guys are all here?"

"Emma-Chan!" Mari cried. "Where have you been?"

Garaa reappeared then. That dress looked familiar to him. Could she have been…???

Emma turned abruptly and fled, just as Simple Plan began to sing _I'll Meet You There_ (I don't own that one either).

_You're gone away,_

_I'm left alone,_

_A part of me is gone,_

_And I'm not moving on,_

_So wait for me,_

_I know the day will come…_

Kankurou's mind was racing.

_DON'T LET HER GO AGAIN!_

_DON'T JUST STAND THERE LIKE A BAKA!_

_YOU CAN'T LOSE HER LIKE THIS!_

_SHE MEANS EVERYTHING TO YOU!_

_I'll meet you there,_

_No matter where life takes me to,_

_I'll meet you there,_

_And even if I need you here,_

_I'll meet you there…_

"EMI-CHAN!" Kankurou shouted.

He didn't expect her to stop – but she did.

She half-turned.

Hoshi suddenly spoke up. "Izzat you Scar-Neck? Long time no see. Kanky and I have been having a lot of _fun_ at work!" And she kissed Kankurou quickly on the lips.

Inner-Emma: Let's out a savage howl of outrage!!!

Emma stared at Kankurou and Hoshi with watering eyes. Then, she seemed to make up her mind, and threw up her hand. "MASUIKI!"

She disappeared, just as the giant Christmas cake got wheeled in, so nobody but Hoshi and the ninjas saw what actually happened.

But later, a waiter tugged on Kankurou's sleeve as he and the others were preparing to leave.

"You _Kanky_?" She whispered, staring up at Kankurou.

Kankurou stared down at the actual dwarf, before shrugging. "Sure, that's me."

"A note here for you." She handed him a small piece of pink paper. "Happy Christmas." She toddled off.

Kankurou opened the letter with shaking hands, fumbling with the simple bits and giving himself a papercut.

"OWCH!" He couldn't help yelling, as he jammed his finger into his mouth, just as Sakura, Sasuke, Garaa, Kai and Kiba strolled up to him.

"Are you okay brother-figure?" Garaa's voice was flat.

Kankurou waved the note around and didn't answer.

"_Lemme see that_!" Sakura cried, grabbing the paper out of Kankurou's hand, and skim-reading it. "What…holey-moley…"

"She's perceptive." Kiba commented, reading the note over Sakura's shoulder.

Sasuke read it upside-down, and drew in a sharp intake of breath.

Kai swore softly.

And Garaa said: "She is one in a million. If you succeed in getting her back, brother-figure, then you had better take care of her." He narrowed his eyes. "Or else."

Kankurou could only stare at the note in Sakura's hands.

Dear Kanky-Chan,

It's okay. I know Hoshi. I don't like her, but I know her, and I know what she can be like. So don't worry about it. If Garaa has told you about what _I_ told him, then you will know a little bit more about me. But there's more.

I can't tell you in a letter (too risky) so I just ask this:

If you still love me then come to the foot of The Bell Tower on New Years Eve. I will be waiting until one minute past midnight. Please don't keep me waiting.

No matter what happens…

I'll still love you forever,

Yours faithfully and forever,

Emma

"Does that include us too?" Kiba murmured.

"Wait, there's a flip side." Sakura spoke up, turning the letter over in her hands.

Kankurou's head shot up.

"PS," Sakura read. "This note will self-destruct in one second…"

They all shrieked as the note burst into flames.


	16. I Think I Know What Love Is

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I Think I Know What Love Is…

"Kankurou-Chan, _eat_ something!" Temari begged him three days later.

"Can't. Worried." He replied, and curled up on the couch again with the book _The Dead Puppets Dance_, which Emma had given him so long ago…

"Brother-Figure, you need to sleep." Garaa resigned himself to saying the next day.

"Can't. Nightmares." Kankurou was clutching the book, and rocking back and forth on the couch.

"I've never seen him act this way before." Temari admitted to the others, once she was safely on the back-porch and out of earshot. "Not since we left Suna. I…actually, he was like this when Emma first left. He's really crazy about that girl."

"And I don't blame him!" Kiba called from the roof, where he and Chouji were repairing the TV Antenna. "Emma's ter!"

"What's ter mean?" Hinata, sitting on the love-seat with Naruto, asked nobody in particular.

"It's short for terrific!" Kiba called back down, pausing in his work and adding: "Mari-San, is my shirt down there?"

"Yes!" She called back, retrieving it from a rose-bush. "And come down from there! A storm's coming! You're gonna get struck by lightning!"

"Are you worried about me?" Kiba smirked down at her.

"Yes?" She replied, without thinking.

"AAUURRGGHH!!" Chouji screamed, Homer Simpson style, as he fell off of the roof. He landed in a pile of leaves and grass clippings with a thud.

"OMIGOD! CHOUJI-CHAN!" Mari ran to him, and threw her arms around him. "I'm so sorry! I meant you as well! I like you!"

Sakura, Lee, Sasuke, Ino, Naruto, Hinata, Temari and Shikamaru all started to snigger apprecietively.

Mari just hugged Chouji.

"Hey!" Tenten, Mari, Chouji, Kiba, Garaa and, sort of, Kankurou, were watching _Jane & The Dragon_ (I LOVE THIS SHOW!) in the living room.

"Hey!" Tenten said again, just as Gunther came onto the screen. "He looks like Neji!"

Mari glanced up. "Hmm…so he does. You know, Emma always used to say that, too."

"WHAT!?!?" It wasn't Kankurou who yelled this, it was Kiba.

Kankurou glared up at Kiba, and then shot Mari a pained and wounded look.

Mari giggled, and pulled a magazine off of the coffee-table. "Don't worry Kankurou-Kun. Emma always said you looked like _this_ guy here." She showed Kankurou a previous edition of _Cosmopolitan__Hottest Guy Of The Month_. It showed a hot guy without a shirt on (on the next page, he was also pantsless) posing for the camera, and grinning in a similar way to Kankurou's cocky 'I'm-the-most-bad-ass-guy-ever' grin.

This seemed to both satisfy and please Kankurou, but he curled up again, listless.

"What about me?" Kiba asked, staring up at Mari with puppy-dog-eyes.

Mari laughed. "_Inuyasha crossed with Koga_!"

"Who?"

"Mari-Chan, lemme ask you somethin." Temari said to her, as they prepared dinner that night.

"Shoot." Mari didn't even look up from her ritual arm-wrestle with the partially-still-alive silverside.

"Do you love Chouji?"

CRASH!!!

Mari looked up. "Umm…that wasn't me."

Temari mutilated a helpless carrot. "I know, I know." She replied softly and angrily, before raising her voice and yelling: "WHATEVER IT IS OR WAS, CLEAN IT UP BEFORE TEA!"

"OKAY!" Naruto yelled back.

Temari rolled her eyes, and sighed. "Now, answer my question." (She's so PUSHY!)

Mari contemplated her silverside. "Yes. Yes I do."

Temari nearly cut off her finger. "WHAT!?!?"

"Izzat so wrong?" Mari glanced at her quickly.

Temari relaxed a smidgen and started on the cauliflower. "No, not at all. Just that…you're so young. How can you know what love is?"

"Because…" Mari paused. "Do you remember the story of the Moon God?"

The knife slipped, and Temari cut her hand. "_Yes, thank you_!" She said testily, as Mari rushed a dishclothe to her.

"Well…it's…love has lots of different sides." Mari was uncomfortable. "There's family…"

"I SWEAR KAI-KUN! IF WE HADN'T BECOME EARTH-BROTHERS FIVE DAYS AGO I WOULD KILL YOU!!!" (That was Kiba. Tenten had to calm him down. Kai accidentaly taped over _Homeward Bound_.)

"Friends…" Mari continued absentmindidly, because Chouji had just come into the kitchen, followed by Sakura and Ino.

"Ats-thay ight-ray, Ino-hay-An-Chay." Sakura trilled in Pig Latin. (That's right, Ino-Chan).

"Ari-may oves-lay ouji-Chay!" Ino replied. (Mari loves Chouji).

"Ey-hey!" Mari cried. "I-hay ow-knay Ig-Pay Atin-Lay!" (Hey! I know Pig Latin.) She put her hands on her hips, before glaring at the two girls enough to make them dart out of the kitchen.

"And then…" Mari said. "There's _love-love_…"

Naruto, Kiba and Hinata suddenly ran into the kitchen.

Kiba crashed into the wall, and Temari caught Hinata, but Naruto didn't stop in time.

"OOOHHH NNNOOO!!!" Naruto screamed in slow-motion, as he barrelled into Chouji. Chouji went flying backwards.

Mari only JUST managed to sidestep Naruto.

Chouji hit the bench. The knife block tilted…

And fell.

Hinata, still being helped up by Temari, gasped.

Chouji screamed like a girl, as the knifes fell all around him, missing him by inches.

"Temari-Chan." Mari frowned. "I think Naruto is bored."

"I'M BORED!" Naruto whinged the next day.

So that was how they found themselves cruising around downtown on a _couch_…


	17. You Came

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

You Came…

_I don't own You Came by Kim Wilde. (Good song though, for me it's Muffy's Song and always will be…)_

Emma stood at the foot of The Bell Tower. It was five minutes until midnight. She was wearing her white dress again, and it and her hair billowed in the breeze.

"Come on…come on…" Her pink lips pleaded.

Her hazel-green eyes shone.

Inside of her stirred a voice she hadn't heard in many years.

**You're looking well again tonight.**

_What do you want Tatsujuu?_

**Grr…I WANT OUT!**

_Well too bad, you're staying put, got it?_

**And what if I don't WANT to?**

_Alright, I'll make a deal with you that CAN'T backfire!_

**Try me…grr…**

_If you stay put, then we get a turkey-sandwich!_

**Alright…maybe…fine…but…**** I want a turkey sandwich, on rye bread, with lettuce and mustard, and, AND I don't want any zombie turkeys, I don't want to turn into a turkey myself, and I don't want any other weird surprises. You got it?**

_You're in a good mood tonight…wait…oh no! Tell me…that can't mean…no!_

**Heh heh heh…**

Emma started to panic. She was leading Kankurou right into a trap!

Bells began to toll. Emma gasped and looked up.

It was midnight!

A minute passed.

"Where is he?"

_Someone I know is staring at me  
And when I look into her eyes  
I see a girl that I used to be  
I hardly recognise  
Cos in the space of a year  
Ive watched the old me disappear  
All of the things I once held precious  
Just dont mean anything anymore  
Cos suddenly…_

Kankurou's feet barely touched the ground, as he ran along the streets at night.

"I can't believe myself!" He cursed. "I was late before and I'm late again! … At least it didn't take me thirty whole days to get there this time…but still…"

Kankurou followed Mari's directions (and Mari and the others followed Kankurou) to The Bell Tower.

Knakurou checked his watch as he approached it.

"Two past!" He cried, coming to a complete stop. "Oh no! I missed her again! Emma…" He whispered.

_You came, and changed the way I feel  
No one could love you more  
Because you came and turned my life around  
No one could take your place_

Ive never felt good with permanent things  
Now I don't want anything to change  
You cant imagine the joy you bring  
My life wont be the same  
And Ill be there when you call  
Ill pick you up if you should fall  
Cos I have never felt such inspiration  
Nobody else ever gave me more because…

Kankurou turned, feeling a pain more unbearable gripping at his heart – more unbearable then any he'd ever experienced.

"Oh Emma-Sama!" He shouted up to the sky. "You are the most beautiful creature created on either planet! And to what do I give you in return for gracing me with yourself each day and night? Nothing! For I am not deserving of someone so precious such as yourself!"

He was crying, and crying so hard in fact that he barely heard: "You're so emo, baby…"

Kankurou's head snapped up, and he spun around.

_You came, and changed the way I feel  
No one could love you more  
Because you came and turned my life around  
No one could take your place_

I watch you sleep in the still of the night  
You look so pretty when you dream  
So many people just go through life  
Holding back, they dont say what they mean  
But its easy for me…

Emma was standing at the top of a set of steps, staring at Kankurou with blank eyes.

He stared back at her.

"Do…do you love me for it?" Kankurou asked, numbly.

Emma nodded. "Yes. Yes, I do." She suddenly flung herself down the steps in tears, screaming: "OH, KANKY-CHAN! YOU CAME! YOU CAME!"

She hurtled herself straight into his arms, and he caught her fiercly and protectively, holding her as close as he could without actually being _in_ her (eek) and feeling her shaking body as she sobbed into his black clothes.

"Ssh…" He whispered gently, rocking back and forth with her. "It's okay, honey, I'm here now. Everything's gonna be okay…"

"No, no it's not." Emma's voice was muffled by Kankurou's clothes. "It's never gonna be alright again."

"Emi-Chan, look, Hoshi and I…" But Emma cut him off.

"Not Hoshi. Not anyone. Me. Me, my Tailed-Demon and Lord Orichimaru…" Emma's voice was barely audible.

"W…what?" Kankurou didn't draw back, but kept an even firmer grip on his beloved (God, I feel like I'm writing in medievel times – Kankurou, Kankurou, where for art thou is Kankurou? Well, Kanky-Chan X 3, whatever they called them back then…)

"Promise me something…" Emma tucked herself into Kankurou's arms, feeling nice and warm and safe – but not sompletely safe, sadly. Something was about to happen…

"What? What is it?" Kankurou wa sin earnest. "You know I'll do anything!"

"In a few days, I need a turkey-sandwich." Emma said sharply, and then added: "But first…"

_Since you came  
No one could love you more  
Because you came and turned my life around  
No one could take your place  
You came, and changed the way I feel  
No one could love you more  
Because you came and turned my life around  
No one could take your place…_

"Promise me, that no matter what happens tonight, that you won't forget what you meant to me, and what our friendship and love means to each other. Remember the _real_ me…and the word…_love_…" She whispered the last part, so that only Kankurou ever heard it.

"Very good." Lord Orichimaru said.

**MEG: AAAUUURRRGGGHHH!!!**

**NEJI: Meg? What is wrong?**

**MEG: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Bolts**

**Comes back to finish story**


	18. Shorty

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Shorty

As the others came out of hiding, Kankurou and Emma clung onto each other, and faced Lord Orichimaru.

"Very good, Emma-Sama." The evil-snake-like-man hissed. "You're finally coming out of your shell. Luring them _all_ here…"

Emma glanced sideways at the others.

Mari and Kai waved to her.

She nodded her head slightly.

Then she turned back to Lord Orichimaru. "What do you want Orochimaru-Sama?"

Sasuke and Sakura exchanged a glance. _Why was Emma referring to Lord Orichimaru so respectfully?_

"You." He replied, his slitted-eyes glowing red. "Fulfil your destiny!"

Emma made a move to move, but stopped when she realised that Kankurou was still holding onto her.

They eyed each other.

"Lemme do this, Kankurou-Sama." Emma whispered.

"You're not going with him!" Kankurou replied, a little too hoarsley.

"I have to." Emma replied. "If I wanna kill him."

_EMMA: When Tatsujuu became a part of me…I like the Neon Genesis Evangelion movie, Death & Rebirth…where's my turkey-sandwich?_

Kankurou stared into Emma's eyes, before silently letting her slide out of his grasp.

The _second_ their skin lost contact with each other. Emma's body suddenly went rigid.

"YES!" Lord Orichimaru shouted, almost gleefully.

"THE…" Emma shouted, as her fingernails grew longer. "THE…THE SICKNESS!!!" She suddenly stopped, as soon as she'd started, and smiled.

"Now," Tatsujuu snarled. "That's better, isn't it?"

Kankurou gasped, and started to move forward.

A figure came flying out of seemingly nowhere…Neji tackled Kankurou head-on.

"NEJI-SAMA!!!" Tenten screamed.

"Well, well, well…" Tatsujuu smiled. "This is…ineteresting." He…she…_it_ walked up to Lord Orichimaru. "Perhaps testing these kids wouldn't be such a bad thing? Then we can _destroy_ them all."

"Agreed." Lord Orichimaru smiled and nodded.

"Except," Tatsujuu added. "The Hyuga girl, because then her cousin would become upset. Hinata stays."

"Also agreed." Lord Orichimaru's eyes glowed, as the scenes around them began to change. "Glad to have you back on board…my leige…"

**NARUTO: OH! FUCKKKKKKKKRYING OUT LOUD… Glances uneasily at Hinata**

**SASUKE: My **_**leige**_**…hmm…**

**MEG: WAHAAA!!! WHAT AM I **DOING

**KIBA: SLAP! Get a hold of yourself and write this girl! … Please?**

**MEG: Don't…give…me…those…eyes.**

**KIBA: Small voice Okay…**

**INO: Hiya!**


	19. Round One – Ding!

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Round One – Ding!

"WELCOME TO AUSTRALIA'S DODGIEST QUIZ SHOW!!!" Lord Orichimaru announced.

Neji sat with the 'it', and smiled at 'it'.

"Hello." He said, his white eyes blank,

'It' gave him an icy stare. "I hate you." 'It' replied. Whether this was actually Emma or Tatsujuu was beyond anyone. Certainly Emma's personality was lost on it.

Kankurou was terrified for her.

He was sitting in between Garaa and Temari, at a game-show counter. They were first in line. Next were Sakura, Ino and Sasuke, followed by Lee, Tenten and Naruto, then Shikamaru, Chouji and Kai, and lastly Mari, Kiba and Shino. Hinata was standing up the front, next to Lord Orichimaru. He had put a spell on her so that she couldn't move, and she was the prize everyone was playing for.

"Give it up for Hinata-San!"

The crowd in the strange room went wild.

"This is great!" Naruto had a big grin on his face. "Hinata-Chan, I'm gonna rescue you!"

"This is pointless." Garaa muttered.

"How troublesome…" Shikamaru sighed.

"And now, let's meet our strange…err…our _strong_ contenders!" Lord Orichimaru was really getting into it, he twirled the microphone in his hand before announcing: "First off we have the Sand Siblings, Garaa, Kankurou and Temari! Then we have the Leaf Village Dream Team of Sakura, Ino and Sasuke! Next up we have Hair-Spray consisting of Lee, Tenten and Naruto!"

Tenten let out a yell of outrage.

Neji shifted, slightly.

"Followed by The Three Stooges Shikamaru, Chouji and Kai!" Lord Orichimaru added. "And lastly Team Canine, Kiba and Akamaru, Mari and Shiinnooo!!!"

As the crowd burst into applause, Mari turned accusingly to Kiba.

"You said we were gonna be called Team MÄR!" She indicted.

"Meh…" Kiba shrugged.

"So, now we have Round One of our five part game-show!" Lord Orichimaru motioned to the board, which flashed the words that he said: "RIDIKULAS RIDDLE ROUND!!!"

Lee, Tenten, Sakura and Sasuke all screamed in shock as the crowd went wild.

When they'd quietened down, Lord Orichimaru made Hinata read the first question.

(Whoever failed to answer a question correctly lost that round.)

"Umm…" Hinata tried to compose herself, and eventually succeeded after many 'umms' and 'aahs'. "**The closer you get to the light, a monster you will fear. But bathe me in full light, and I will disappear**. What am I?"

She looked up, and was greeted with fifteen blank stares (including Akamaru). Except for Garaa. He just calmly reached forward, and pushed his team's buzzer, which sounded like a cow (then, Mari _had_ a cow – it's a metaphor).

"A shadow." Garaa said simply.

"That is…CORRECT!" Lord Orichimaru announced. "You survived this round! You and your team-mates are safe!" He snapped his fingers, and the Sand Siblings were transported to the victors' box. "For now…" He added, under his breath, as Hinata prepared herself to read the second question, and Naruto began to sweat.

"**What fruit ALWAYS travels in groups of two**?" Hinata blushed, thinking about Naruto and herself as a pigeon-pair.

"Ah…" Everyone turned to their team-mates, and so forth, as Lord Orichimaru smirked away. Until Kiba slapped his team's buzzer (it howled) and called out: "Pears! Just like Akamaru and me!"

"Woof!" Said the dog.

"Ah…can we accept that?" Lord Orichimaru paused for a second, before a cash-register ka-chinged out, and Team Canine/MÄR were transported to the victor's box.

Mari reached over and squeezed Kankurou's hand, smiling reassuringly at him.

He made himself smile back, for Mari's sake. She wanted to believe that her best friend was gonna be alright…but still…

IN KONOHA – SORTA

"AAAUUURRRGGGHHH!!!" Screamed Anko, as she, Gai, Baki, Izumo, Iruka and Kakashi were sucked through a portal.

"Our…our next question…oh, please get this one right, Hair-Spray!" Hinata cried, and then blushed again. "Ah…that is to say… _Taberu to kanden shite shimaisou na ke-kitte nanda_?" And then she blushed even harder. In her panic, Hinata had said it in Japanese instead! "Or…to…put it another…way…**what kind of a cake could give you a short-circuit if you ate it**?"

Chouji suddenly came alive, and slammed his hand down on the red-buzzer, which let out a high-pitched shriek. "I WANT STRAWBERRY SHORT-CAKE!!!" He shouted.

"And the show-boat from The Three Stooges got it right!" Lord Orichimaru hurriedly transported those three out of there as Chouji looked furious. "Ah, our next question?"

"**What falls but never breaks? What breaks but never falls**?"

Naruto fell off of his chair with a crash.

As Lee and Tenten helped him back up again, a ship's foghorn interrupted them, and Ino, Sakura and Sasuke all yelled at the same time: "DAY AND NIGHT!!!"

Lord Orichimaru snapped his fingers, and the winners were transported to the victory box.

Naruto, Lee and Tenten all looked understandably scared.

"Naruto-Chan…" Hinata whispered.

DING! DING! DING! DING!

Lights flashed, and two balloons suddenly floated down from the ceiling.

"WILD CARDS!" Lord Orichimaru yelled. He grabbed them and read their names. He groaned. 'Oh, I don't believe it – it's Naruto and Tenten!"

"Believe It!" Naruto shouted, as he and Tenten were transported to the victor's box.

A hole suddenly opened up in the floor, and Lee screamed as he fell through it.

"NNNNNNNOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

SPLASH!!!

…

Everybody stared at the hole in the ground.

"Ooh!" Lee cried. "Look! Some friendly little eels………OHHH, THEY'RE ELECTRIC EELS!!!"

ZZZZZZ….ZZZZAAAAPPPP!!!

"AAAUUURRRGGGHHH!!!"

ZZZZZZ….ZZZZAAAAPPPP!!!

"NNNOOO!!!" Tenten screamed in tears, as she and the others blacked out.


	20. Round Two – Ding! Ding!

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TWENTY

Round Two – Ding! Ding!

_I don't own these two songs:_

_. Who Do You Think You Are? – Sailor Moon_

_. Buses & Trains – Bachelor Girl_

The new teams were:

. Sakura, Ino & Tenten

. Hinata, Naruto & Sasuke

. Garaa, Temari & Kankurou (they like to stick together, I think…)

. Kai, Shino, Kiba & Akamaru

. Kiba, Chouji & Shikamaru

Mari was such a good singer, that Lord Orichimaru made her the prize.

The others stepped onto a stage.

Australian Idol Music…

Mari was the MC, and Lord Orichimaru, Neji and 'It'/Emma/Tatsujuu (let's just say Emma, but you know what I mean) were the three judges.

"The rules are simple." Mari said in a monotone, reading off of a palm-card. "Each team must come up with – and sing – one song that relates to any part of the story. Any team failing to do so will lose."

Tenten looked pale, and so faint that Neji even felt a teeny bit worried for her.

"Alrighty then, a reading from…something…" Mari squinted at the palm card. "Right…_she stole my boyfriend from me, and I never wanted to see her again…and yet, some part of me was still back in our child-hood, as the happiest best friends around – but still, she could be so annoying, and I…_"

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?!?" Ino, Sakura and Tenten suddenly screamed, and pounced on their microphones. Sakura got to hers first.

_You say you're cool, and you're strong,_

Ino smiled. _You say you'll lead – and I should tag along,_

SAKURA: _But would you cry?_

TENTEN: _Ha!_

SAKURA: _You'd be a mess!_

INO: _If I showed up at a party in the same new dress!_

SAKURA: _I hope you know, if today it doesn't show…_

INO: _You are my friend, you are my friend…_

BOTH: _That doesn't mean, then when we've had it, we won't go at it again and again…_

INO: _You've got brains – I've got guts,_

SAKURA: _If I'm a pain – well you're a klutz!_

BOTH: _Oh it's insane, how we drive each other nuts!_

TENTEN: _It's true! Who do you think you, who do you think you are?_

ALL: _Who do you think you are?_

The crowd burst into wild applause, as Sakura, Tenten and Ino stopped smiling and looked for the judge's verdicts – it meant life or death for them.

LORD ORICHIMARU: Scribbled out 10 and wrote 5…

NEJI: 9 ¾…

EMMA: 7

"Congratulations, you girls go onto the next round!" Mari announced, as the three girls hugged each other and disappeared somewhere else. "Next…_uh…I stared at my shoes…as I hopped off…train…went to…bus…loved too much…can't…look back…_WTF!?!?" She glared at Lord Orichimaru. "There's bits missing!"

He shrugged.

Temari suddenly stepped forward and grabbed a microphone.

TEMARI: _Hey Mum…since we're talking…what was it like, when you were young? Has the world changed? Are you still the same? A man can kill and still be the sweetest soul!_

ALL: _I walked under a bus, I got hit by a train,_

TEMARI: _Keep falling in love, which is kinda the same,_

GARAA: _I've sunk out at sea, crashed my car, gone insane,_

KANKUROU: _And it felt so good, I wanna do it again…_

Kankurou looked hopefully at Emma, but she appeared to be very busy with her notes.

LORD ORICHIMARU: Scribbled out 10 and wrote 5 (again)…

NEJI: 2 (stinge)…

EMMA: 9.5…

The Sand Siblings advanced to the next round.

Lord Orichimaru suddenly threw up his hands. "I've had enough of this!" He yelled. He turned to glare at Emma. "This is it! Enough testing them! I want to kill them NOW!"

Tatsujuu growled a deep and low sound in his throat. "You'll do as I say," He threatened. "And that's that…"

Neji stood up. "Look." He said flatly. "I vote we keep Hinata in, but everybody else goes!"

"Fine!" Lord Orichimaru and Emma snapped at the same time.

"Jinx." The said grimly, hooking pinkies momentarily.

Hinata gasped as she began to disappear. "NARUTO-CHAN!"

"HINATA-CHAN!" Naruto yelled, as he and the other losers began to fall.

Jaws was waiting for them…

Musha turned to Mushi. "I didn't know he had a shark pool, did you?"

"Nah, I thought it was just the electric eel deal." Mushi replied, touching her sproingy hair.

The two girls giggled.

Emma disappeared…


	21. Round Three – Ding! Ding! Ding!

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Round Three – Ding! Ding! Ding!

Tenten was sobbing.

Mari was wailing.

Hinata was crying.

Temari was bawling.

Garaa was sighing.

And Kankurou was nowhere to be seen.

"Welcome," Lord Orichimaru stepped out of the shadows. "To the last round for you. If you can answer my question that I direct at you correctly, then you will go on to the final match which will decide everything. Are you ready?"

"Yes." Said two of them.

"No." Said two more.

Hinata just kept on weeping.

"Question one," Lord Orichimaru blended in perfectly with the dark, desolated cave surrounding them all. "Is for Mari-San. What is the name of Emma's favourite band, and who is her favourite band member and song?"

Mari glared at him. "That's easy. Emma likes to listen to _Disturbed_. Her favourite song is _Meaning Of Life_, and she likes the lead singer, _David Draiman_."

Lord Orichimaru scowled back at her. "That is…correct." He said, grudgingly. "But you are supposed to be her very best friend."

"One of them…" Mari snapped, as she disappeared once more.

"Question two," Lord Orichimaru continued, as if Mari hadn't just snapped at him. "Is for Tenten. Tenten-San, what is Emma's favourite flavour of _soup_?"

Tenten just stared at him for a second, before replying: "It's Minestrone. She had it when we were sick."

"Also correct." Lord Orichimaru clicked his fingers, and Tenten vanished. "Next question is for you, Garaa-San. Who is Emma?"

Garaa didn't even hesitate. "She is Amme."

Garaa vanished.

Now it was just Hinata and Temari left.

"Hinata-San, what is the name of Emma's favourite pony?"

"Chief?"

Hinata vanished, leaving only a shaking Temari.

"What is Emma's _place-marker_ in this world, and what is _Kankurou's_ _place-marker_ in this world?" Lord Orichimaru stated.

Temari had no idea what he was talking about, and so she fell victim to a giant anaconda.


	22. Men Of Mice

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Men Of Mice

Neji held Kankurou up against a brick all in a large Zelda-Ish room, with a kunai on the sand ninja's throat.

"Emma deserves me!" Neji hissed, in a voice that wasn't his own. "Not you! I will destroy you!!!"

Kankurou cried out as the kunai scraped across his throat.

"NOW I WILL FINALLY BE SOMEONE SPECIAL!!!" Neji shouted, and stabbed the kunai to Kankurou's throat.

ARK!

Kankurou spat out blood.

And, all at once, a bright flash of light enveloped the two of them.

"Wh…where are we?" Neji felt a hot pain sear across his eyes. "AAUURRGGHH!!" He clutched at his face. "M…my eyes! I…what!" The darkness was lifted from him.

Kankurou appeared beside him in the light.

"Umm…how come you're not dead?" Neji asked him.

"Maybe we're both dead mate." Kankurou pointed. "Look."

Neji looked.

A little girl was coming towards them and, wherever she walked, bright and colourful wildflowers sprung up by her bare-feet. She was wearing a long and flowing white dress, and had short brown hair and leaf coloured eyes.

It was Emma.

"Huh?" The five year old Emma paused as she saw them, and then continued skipping happily around them, and spreading her wildflowers.

"What the…" Neji trailed off, as another figure came up through the ground just in front of them. This one was an older Emma, ten years old. She was wearing a short black skirt and matching singlet top, black boots and a spiky bracelet. A scar shimmered clean-cut on her throat.

_WHOOOO!!!_ A figure swooped down in front of them, the burned Emma Kankurou had never wanted to see again, who actually seemed to be pretty happy as she floated around by them.

"Stop it…" Said a voice from above them all. "You're scaring them."

Kankurou and Neji looked up – and couldn't believe what they saw.

Emma, wearing her white dress, sat on a throne above them, which was on a cloud. She was wearing her starred crown, and there was a familiar-looking – but _much much much_ smaller – scarlet-coloured dragon in her lap.

"E…Emma-Sama!" Kankurou cried, in a mixture of disbelief and emotion.

"Emma-San…" Neji muttered.

"Heh heh heh…to what do I owe the pleasure?" The throne floated on its cloud down towards them, and expanded a little bit. "More visitors in my room. Come, I have much to tell you."

Kankurou, Neji and the five and ten year old Emma-Figures hopped onto the cloud, and burnt Emma swooped along beside them.

"Who's that?" Neji asked, pointing to the dragon.

"Tatsujuu." Emma smiled at him. "In his purest form. His _reborn_ form. When we merged, he was reborn. The darker side of him is just that – another side. This is his better form."

An image of a bloodthirsty dragon flashed across the scene.

"And this is his powerful form." Emma voice became soft, and suddenly all they could see was her. "And this? This is his _deadliest_ form. I am human-lust, human-want and, most importantly, human-_weaknesses_." She fixed them with a steely glare. "TRIAL!"

Neji was floating around in pure whiteness, with the five year old Emma floating around beside him.

"Neji-San…" She trilled. "Let's play firsbee!"

"Ah…I think you mean _Frisbee_..." Neji shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

TOSS!

"So, Neji-San! Tell me, am I _really_ the prettiest girl in the whole wide-world?"

MISS!

"Damn! Yes! Of course you are…err…you _will be_!"

TOSS!

CATCH!

"Let's see then!"

TOSS!

CATCH!

TOSS!

The discus stopped in mid-air (err…space…) and an image flashed above it.

It showed a brown-haired girl with a cute hairstyle walking on a tightrope.

"Hmm…pretty Tenten! She is the one you truly want! The tightrope symbolises your struggles to keep a difficult relationship going!"

TOSS!

MISS!

"DAMN! E…Emma-San! Wh…how can you say that?"

"Because it's true…isn't it?"

"Yeah…but I…what's _you're_ image here?"

"Toss me the discus and I'll tell you! Tee-hee!"

TOSS!

CATCH!

TOSS!

The discus paused, and the image of Kankurou appeared.

Neji stared at it.

"I guess…if that's what you truly want………"

…

…

GRIN!

"It is! Thank you Neji-Sama, oh wonderful friend you are!"

Ten year old Emma doctored Kankurou's cut in hydrogen-space as best she could.

"There." She said, floating gently backwards. "That should suffice – to say the least, you won't _die_ or anything."

"Emma-Sama…" Kankurou stared at her.

She looked away. "In a way, yes I am. We all have our childhood selves still present within us. Perhaps Neji dies as well…"

"I hate Neji." Kankurou said bitterly, tasting his resentment. "I hate him forever!"

"You do not!" Emma cried. "Err…that is to say…you only _think_ that you do…but consider this – Neji was never the important one, because he was always in the lower branch of the Hyuga Clan. He just wanted something special, and for someone to consider him unique."

Kankurou stared at her. "How come you know so much?"

She smiled sadly. "I'm only going to get a whole lot deeper I'm afraid. So far I've seen so much death it's too scary for words. In two years time…"

Kankurou stared at her for some time, until he finally said: "Emi-Chan?"

"Mmm?"

"I think I'm ready to…forgive Neji."

_I'm sorry Kankurou-Kun._

_I'm sorry for taking it too seriously, Neji-San. Good luck with Tenten!_

_Hey!_


	23. 1…2…3…4…5…

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

1…2…3…4…5…

When Neji and Kankurou came to – the room was full of Emmas!

NNNOOO!!! Screamed Hoshi from somewhere out there…

"How do we tell which one's the real Emma?" Neji cried.

Kankurou was staring at them all, all dressed alike, and feeling a growing sense of dread. "I…I dunno! They all look alike…and yet…I can tell that only _one_ of them is the true Emma!"

With that, most of the Emma's vanished, leaving only five remaining.

Neji and Kankurou could only stare.

"Very good." The first one said mockingly.

"But that's only the first part." The second one said sadly.

"Test us all, only once." The third one said angrily.

"And try to discern the real one from all of our answers." The fourth one said calmly.

"If you guess wrong then you will die." The fifth one said endearingly.

Kankurou and Neji blinked. Had they heard right?

A balloon suddenly appeared above them, and floated down to meet them.

Kankurou grabbed at it, and Neji read it out-loud.

"CLUE." It said. "EACH SPELL ONE WORD FROM ANY GIVEN WORD!"

He and Kankurou looked at each other.

They nodded, agreeing silently to the decision.

"The word…" Neji started.

"Is…" Kankurou added.

"Malevolent." They both finished together.

Emmas numbered one to five paused.

Emma number one snickered.

Emma number two sighed.

Emma number three hissed.

Emma number four 'hmmed'.

Emma number five coughed.

"Mate."

"Alone."

"Ten."

"Vale."

"Love."

Kankurou and Neji both let out strangled cries of: "NUMBAH FIVE! NUMBAH FIVE!"

The first four Emmas smiled then, and disappeared in flashes of yellow, blue, red and green smoke.

Emma number five, the real one and true Emma, smiled happily. "You remembered!" She cried.

The two boys ran towards her then, and both threw their arms around her, hugging her tight, and crying tears of joy.

Neji drew back and let Emma and Kankurou share their kiss.

But it was short-lived.

They disappeared suddenly, and reappeared on the top of a mountain in the middle of a stormy sea, inside of an arena.

"YOU MUST FIGHT TO THE DEATH!" Lord Orichimaru yelled, where he floated in mid-air with Tenten, Hinata, Mari and Garaa. "YOU MUST FIGHT TO THE DEATH…EMMA-SAMA AND KANKUROU-SAN!!! OR YOUR FRIENDS WILL ALL DIE ONE BY ONE, A SLOW AND PAINFUL DEATH!!!"

Emma and Kankurou stared at each other in each other's arms, in horror.


	24. Kitsune…Tanuki…Tatsu…

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Kitsune…Tanuki…Tatsu…

"_What are we gonna do, Kankurou-Sama!?!?_" Emma had to yell to be heard above the rain.

"_I dunno!_" Kankurou gripped onto her with a vice-like grip. "_I'll never kill you!_"

"_But look! Garaa's up there! And Mari! And Hinata, Tenten and Neji are all in danger as well! We have to, it's the only way!_" Emma's lower lip was trembling.

"_No! I couldn't bear to live without you! You're everything to me! Without you, my life is meaningless! If you die, then I die too!_"

Emma cried out 'Kankurou-Sama!', and buried her face into his chest, shaking with cold and fear and sobs. Kankurou held her tight.

The storm reached a lull, and the only sounds that could be heard were Emma's desperate sobs.

Finally Lord Orichimaru cried: "I've had enough of waiting! What's it gonna be!?!? Tatsujuu proved weak! The sooner I can get rid of him the better!"

Emma whispered: "Love ya Kanky-Chan, but I gotta do what I gotta do! Revival!"

She then spun around, and strode towards Lord Orichimaru.

"Well, if it's Tatsujuu that you wanted…" She growled, beginning to transform into her full demon state. "Then why don't you face all three of us instead!?!?" And she let out a terrible roar, as Garaa began to transform into Shukaku, and Naruto suddenly appeared, become the nine-tailed fox.

"NOW YOU'LL SEE!" Shukaku let out a savage roar.

"THE TRUE POWER OF!" Kyubii was _really_ in his element now…

"SANBAN AI!" The three of them leapt at Lord Orichimaru.

Kai suddenly appeared by Mari's side, holding something in his hands.

"Rami-Tono." He said in a completely different voice to his own, as the battle raged before them. "Shall we finish what was started hundreds of years ago?"

"Oh yes, Keizer-Dono," Mari nodded, wiping the blood from her chin. "Oh yes, let's…" She held out her own hand, and something appeared in it.

It was the puppet that Emma had created of Kankurou.

In Kai's hands was the book that Emma had given to Kankurou.

Emma, now separated from her demon-self, appeared before them.

"Amme-Dono." Mari smiled at her.

"Amme-Tono." Kai bowed his head.

Emma spread out her hands. "_Seal the evil twice it rose, with puppet made from like of crow's, fold your hands within my own, and turn my foe to solid stone…_"

Mari and Kai placed their hands in Emma's. The two items (book and puppet) rose into the air, and there was a bright flash of light.

SHUKAKU: Well, at least I tasted some blood…I got to rip off a few limbs…

KYUBII: Host-self, I am now hungry!

TATSUJUU: I want my turkey-sandwich!


	25. Three Wishes…

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Three Wishes…

"WWWEEE WWWOOONNN!!!" Everybody suddenly screamed, as the settings vanished and they appeared before The Bell Tower once again.

"HEY!" Mari, Hinata, Neji, Emma, Kankurou, Tenten and Garaa shouted. "YOU GUYS ARE ALIVE!"

"WE KNOW!" The others screamed back. "IT'S WONDERFUL!"

"WOOF!" Said Akamaru.

"SHIKA-CHAN!" Temari flung herself at Shikamaru, and broke down completely. He patted her head awkwardly, and whispered comforting phrases into her ear like 'IKEA' and 'COSMOPOLITAN'.

"NARUTO-CHAN!" Hinata screamed.

"HINATA-CHAN!" Naruto shouted.

"NARUTO-CHAN!" Hinata ran towards him.

"HINATA-CHAN!" Naruto threw his arms around her.

They both began to cry.

Shino, Kiba, Akamaru and Kai all sweatdropped.

Sakura threw her arms around Lee.

Ino threw her arms around Sasuke.

"I WAS SO SCARED!!!" They both shrieked.

Lee hugged Sakura, and Sasuke hugged Ino.

Both were glad to still be alive.

"CHOUJI-CHAN!" Mari found herself running full tilt towards Chouji. She crashed into him, and knocked him over, and they both landed in the pool of water, whose lights were all lit up.

"Mari-Chan!" Chouji hugged Mari for all they were worth, which was a whole lot more if you ask me!

"Aaw!" Everyone said, except for Emma and Kankurou, and Garaa – who was watching them.

Emma shyly smiled at Kankurou. "Thanks for sticking up for me…" She suddenly threw her arms around him. "Thank you so much my darling!"

Kankurou held Emma tightly, savouring the moment.

"Ninjas?"

The voice seemed to echo around them.

Everybody looked up, to see three female spirits floating above them.

"Who are you?" Blunt Naruto called out.

"I am Chance." The green one said. "Fyora's Wind!"

"I am Dream." The red one said. "Din's Fire!"

"And I am Bond." The blue one said. "Nyara's Love!"

(They're all from Zelda, Ocarina Of Time…)

"Ooh, oracles, very mystical…" Shino adjusted his sunglasses.

Akamaru looked awed.

"Emma-Han," Chance said. "We have come to offer you three wishes. One for chance, one of dreams, and one linked to bonds. Use them wisely."

Emma just stared at them. "I…I'm afraid that I don't understand." She said politely.

Dream was patient. "You destroyed Lord Orichimaru by offering up your last resort – your _placemarker_. If you die, you cannot come back. Such a sacrifice is worthy of the Triforce."

"Umm…okay…" Emma paused, and then it clicked to her. "Oh! Chance! I want the chance to meet Kin! And you know who I mean!"

"I do." Chance glowed a brighter green, and she even seemed to smile, as she spread out her arms. "Kin is given new life."

"And Zaku should be given the chance to live out his dreams!" Emma called.

Dream glowed a fiery red.

She and Chance disappeared and, in their places, were Zaku and Kin.

"WHOA!" Everyone yelled.

No one had _ever_ thought they'd see sixteen year old Kin and Zaku!

Kai's jaw dropped in awe, when he saw Kin.

Emma broke away from Kankurou, and ran to the two newly resurrected ninjas. She flung her arms around Zaku, and cried: "YOU'VE COME BACK TO LIFE! ZAKU-KUN! I'M SO HAPPY!"

"Me…too…" Zaku looked dazed.

"I'M SO GRATEFUL!" Emma added. "Now you can be a strong ninja, and I know this is true! I know this, because Emma and Zaku are friends!" She drew away from Zaku, and grinned broadly. "Remember, you promised!"

"I…did?" Zaku was still in a daze. Emma raised an eyebrow, and he snapped out of it immediately. "Oh…_sure_…I mean, _of course_ I _promised_!"

"Cause' _everyone's_ gotta make a promise!" Mari spoke up, happily.

Kin was staring at Emma. "Umm…who are you?" She asked, in a willowy and mature sixteen-year-old's voice.

"I'm Emma!" Emma said to Kin, bowing and shaking her hand at the same time, in earnest. "And you're Kin! And you're ALIVE!!!" She began to dance around. "YIPEE!" But suddenly she stopped. "Wait! How can I bring back…" She gasped. "I…I don't have a bond to Kinuta Dosu, do I? OH NO!" She looked up at Bond, as everyone else gasped too. "We're not related! We weren't exactly friends [why? and I didn't fight against him! And…and we weren't _in _love or anything like that [it's true! so…how…how can he come back…to life?" She stared woefully at Bond. "Can't…can't you do anything?"

Bond shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. You'll have to find your own way to bring him back. A reason will present itself and, when it does, I will be here, my child, so never fear." She disappeared. _I know the day will come…_ Her voice echoed off. Everybody understood these words clearly but, still, Emma sank to her knees and began to weep. Kankurou rolled up his sleeves in mock exaggeration and strode over to hug and comfort his best-female-friend.

"Neji-San…" Tenten stood beside Neji, and now he looked at her. "Aren't you gonna go up there…and hug her?"

"Nah." Neji shook his head, and hugged Tenten suddenly. "She's got that Puppet-Freak, she'll be just fine. Now…about you and me…"

Tenten gazed up at him in shock, but then she smiled…

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, THAT'S **VERY** UNYOUTHFUL!!!" Gai shouted as he and the other teachers fell from the sky and landed in the other side of the pool.


	26. Three Days…

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Three Days…

_There's a Harry Potter spoiler in here from book 7 (and also from book 6, but you've all read that one, I'm sure…if not then…why not?) The Deathly Hallows! So, if you don't wanna read it, then skip the last part of this chapter! I put a warning up ahead, just before it comes, so you have been WARNED!!! And I'll put a small insert in for the start of the next chapter, without the spoiler, so that you all know what's happening..._

_I don't own Harry Potter but, if I did, _

_one) the spoiler I write would not have happened (hope that doesn't spoil it either, it actually happened pretty early in the book…)_

_two) I would be a sing-song-voice rich-witch-golden'snitch-nitch-bitch…well, maybe NOT a bitch…ah…moving on… (I'm gonna cry, my 2__nd__ Naruto Fan-Fic's almost completed!!!)_

After more reunions, which included a dramatic and sappy speech by Gai, and a special guest appearance by the voice of Albus Dumbledore, Kakashi called everyone to attention.

He cleared his throat.

"Ahem…well, as you can all see, we're here, on a planet called earth."

"Nah duh…" Temari droned.

"And," Kakashi continued, ignoring the blonde sand ninja. "Obviously, we can't stay here."

Nobody said a word. Mari and Emma gripped hands. Kai breathed in deeply, willing himself to listen.

"We can all go back, in a portal that I know will open here in three days." Kakashi said.

"Three days." Baki emphasized as a point. "Day one starts tomorrow."

"Yeah, well that's okay, right?" Sakura called out. "I mean, we can go back, and still find a way to go back and forth between our two worlds, right?"

Lee nodded in agreement.

But Iruka shook his head. "I'm afraid it's not like that at all. The portal will only open at midnight, three days from now, staying open for only a minute. And once it's closed, it's closed for good."

"But…that means…" Sasuke's eyes watered.

"It's time to make a decision." Izumo told them.

"Oh." They all said.

DAY ONE – D-Day Countdown, 73 Hours

Mari was cooking in the kitchen with Temari, Shino, Chouji, Shino, Tenten, Lee, Kin, Zaku and Neji.

"We have it worse off." Shino said suddenly.

"Worse off what?" Mari asked absentmindedly, peeling a potato.

"Worse off then you, Emma and Kai." Shino put down his wooden stirring spoon and faced the others. "You can always see us on TV, but we never get to see _you guys_ again. We'll…we'll miss you…"

"Yeah, ditto…" Tenten said, swallowing hard to avoid crying.

Mari smiled at her cookbook, which featured a picture of a cartoon chicken.

"What are you smiling for?" Temari asked her.

Mari just smiled some more.

Her mobile phone rang then, and she answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mari-San?" Said a voice on the other end of the line. "I got your notice just then. Your apartment and the one next to it belonging to your friend have both been sold. Congratulations."

DAY TWO – D-Day Countdown, 36 Hours

Kai went for a walk in the park with Kiba, Akamaru, Temari, Shikamaru, Garaa, Hinata, Sasuke, Sakura, Ino, Naruto and Lee.

As Ino and Sakura took turns going for rides on Akamaru's back, and Kiba hovered around anxiously, the others sat down under the shade of a tree, on the top of a small hill.

"We're gonna miss you, Kai-Kun." Temari said to Kai. "As friends, I mean!" She added, hurriedly, and Kai nodded understandingly.

"We mean it." Hinata added, staring up at the cloudless sky. "You, Emma and Mari are such good friends, and we…" Naruto put his arm around Hinata's shoulders.

"HEY!" Kiba shouted from across the park. "DON'T PULL AKAMARU'S EARS!!!"

"This has been one hellava good adventure." Sasuke replied.

"Agreed." Shikamaru drawled, lying back on the grass next to Temari.

Kiba wrestled Sakura to stop her from teasing Akamaru.

"Are you sad that it's over?" Lee asked Kai, as Sakura fought back and Ino galloped away on Akamaru's back.

"Is it?" Kai had a funny little smile on his face.

"Huh?" The others just stared at him.

"OW!" Kiba screamed. "SHE **BIT** ME! YOU SAW HER! SHE BIT ME!"

"That's _your_ department, dog-boy!" Kai yelled to him, just as Lee suddenly looked into the distance.

"Hey, isn't that your car, _driving_ away over the hill?" Lee pointed, and they all looked.

"Yeah, I sold it yesterday." Kai said casually.

"YOU DID WHAT!?!?" Temari and Hinata screamed.

DAY THREE – D-Day Countdown, 24 Hours

The teachers all waited patiently for their students by The Bell Tower.

"Licences." Kakashi was saying. "Three of them?"

"Probably. I'm pretty sure that's how it's gonna be." Anko replied.

"One sand, and two leaf." Baki added.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Kanky-Chan?" Emma said suddenly, as they were sitting by themselves in Fremantle. They were positioned on a jetty, just staring out over the water, which was sparkling from the moonlight and starlight. They were dangling their feet in the water and, once, Kankurou's toes got nipped by a _fugu fish_. 1

"Mmm?" Kankurou was eating a hamburger, which Emma had bought for him to take his mind off of the pain of having his toes chomped by a relative of Puftup. 2

"I want a bird!" Emma declared.

"_WHAAAAAAA_!!!!!?????" Kankurou dropped his hamburger into the water, and the _fugu fish_ swarmed. 3

Emma stared dreamily out over the midnight blue waves, as the salty sea breeze billowed through her wood-coloured hair. "It's just a dream I've had, since I was a little girl. I always wanted a talking bird, like a parrot or something, so that I could train it and have it sit on my shoulder. You know how Kiba has Akamaru, and Shino has his bugs?"

Kankurou nodded, thoughtfully.

… SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILER ALERT!!! …

"And Harry has…_had_ Hedwig soz' ya'll for the spoilers… Or all those other people have a Chatot?" 4 Emma continued and, again, Kankurou nodded (he had to look that one up later on, though). "Well, then, _I want a parrot_! And a turkey sandwich!" She pouted, and Kankurou hugged her, even though this meant that she wanted to stay behind with the bird and leave _him_.

And so that was how, the following morning, Kankurou and Emma (eating one turkey on rye with lettuce and mustard) found themselves in a pet shop, where a salesman had _pounced_ on them the second they had entered, just like in a car-yard (there was only _one_ time before I wrote this where I got out of one [a car-yard without that happening, and that was because they were all on their lunch-breaks, eating their turkey-wiches, probably…)

"This specimen," He said, looking shady and puffing on a cigar. "Is a _fine_ creature indeed. He was smugg…err…_imported_ from deepest darkest Thailand. He is one of the _only_ members of the rare _Atticus Acatious_ 5.1 Parrot Family, and he can be taught to mimic human speech, carry messages to _anywhere_ in the world whether you give him an address or not, he's not a picky eater and he's _extremely_ well-trained, mannered and clean, and he can sing _Good Morning Star-Shine_, _You Are My Sunshine_ and _Aquarius_, depending on what time of the day it is."

The parrot was indeed a handsome-looking creature. It came up to Emma's knees, and had a regal-looking beak and amber-golden-yellow eyes that sparkled in the early morning sunlight and fluorescent shop-lights. He was a most majestic black coal colour, with darker ink-black tips on his wings and tail, and his claws, beak, eye-rims and crest were the most brilliant of stunning sapphire-blues.

Emma's eyes were shiny also, and it was clear that she was in love with this parrot already (in a pet-owner-like way, of course).

Still, Kankurou was sceptical. "How much is it?"

When the shady salesman told him the price, Kankurou nearly died.

"_FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS_!?!?" He screamed. "_FIFTY GRAND FOR A BLOODY…BIRD_!?!?" He glanced over at the parrot. "No offence mate." He added. "But really, I mean…_come on_…"

The parrot and Emma both glared at him. Tears filled in Emma's eyes.

Kankurou felt himself begin to weaken, and he clenched his teeth in a second of mock-exasperation. "Emi-Chan, baby, _please_…I'm not…you know…_made_ of money or anything like that…"

"Rupee," 6 Mr. Cash said to his wife. "I am _not made_ of money!"

Mrs. Cash burst into tears. "_Yes you are_!" She shrieked. "_But you're also so stone-hearted_!" She added in a wail, as she pushed past him, and ran past Emma, Kankurou, the parrot and the shady salesman and out of the pet-shop.

"You can't win em' all I'm afraid, Cold-Hard." His siblings, Penny, Nickel, Dime, Quarter, Half-Penny, Cent, Shilling, Copper and Dollar all said in one voice, as they chinked along behind him.

"You upset her badly, so pay us three grand and we'll leave you alone…or else…" One of Sasuke's friends from Chapter One (remember them?) warned threateningly from the corner of the shop.

Cold-Hard Cash sighed, and pulled off thirty strips of his green skin with some guy on it. "Oh, alright." He paused, and then pulled a hundred golden coins with Queen Elizabeth II on them from behind his ears. "Oh, and I'll take that _rare_ Amazonian Chatter-Monkey 5.2 over there, too!"

"Sold!" The bus driver banged his gavel down and onto some random lectern.

This verdict was met with an outraged screech of protest from the _Amazonias Chattarius_ 5.3.

Emma and Kankurou sweatdropped, and turned back to their own problems.

"But," Kankurou added hastily. "I'm not _completely_ heartless…" He stared at the salesman. "So, do you have something a little bit…_more in my_…uh…_price-range_…for my…err…_priceless seraph_???"

The salesman puffed out on his cigar, and then jerked his thumb over his shoulder to the other corner of the room. "Those four over there are goin' cheap for fifty bucks a piece. But, err, folks, I gotta warn ya's…their…err _dependability_ is…umm…how should we put this…on a scale of one hundred? _Gently bordering on_…_sixty_?"

Emma and Kankurou just stared at the…_creatures_…

"Sixty?" Kankurou asked, in disbelief.

"Sixty _Negative_." The salesman added, as an afterthought.

"_Ohhh_…" Emma and Kankurou nodded knowingly.

Emma eyed the other four animals, uneasily. "Kanky-Chan…" She whimpered. "I love _all_ animals, great and small, but…I…"

Kankurou strode over to the corner. "Hey, come on Emi-Chan, these guys aren't so bad – are ya?" He glared quickly at them out of the corner of his eyes, as if to warn them that they'd _better be good_…

Something that _vaguely_ resembled a beetle snapped the pincers on its back in a threatening sort of a manner. It was jet black, but lacked the nice parrot's _shiny_ physique, was adorned with red lightning bolts and it had piercing red eyes, and it was about _twice_ Emma's height. So, it also _towered_ over Kankurou. It was _chained_ to the wall with shackles made of reinforced-diamond-plated-steel.

"That's _Philalonius Dermaptera_." 7 The salesman spoke up. "But we call 'im _Bitey_, cause' of the snippers on his rear-end. His poison's made up of a combination of tetrodotoxin, atraxotoxin, Mycobacterium ulcerans and that stuff Hitler used in gas chambers."

Kankurou gasped. Emma looked like she was about to faint but, nevertheless, she bravely moved forward to guide her beloved Kankurou gently but quickly out of earwig's way.

"It's just a kid, it can be trained!" The salesman spoke up.

"No. Thank. You." Emma declared firmly, turning her back on the insect.

"Aaw, look Emi-Chan." Kankurou pointed to a tank where two fish were swimming around. The two fish swam towards each other and touched 'lips'. "They're in love, just like what we are!"

Emma looked, just as one of the fish opened its mouth to reveal rows and rows of sharp, pointy teeth, and it ate the other fish, before somehow managing to devour itself.

Emma turned into a puddle of water and splished everywhere.

When she was safely standing beside the salesman again, Kankurou motioned to the final of the four-now-two '_creatures_'…

"This is a plant, see, it's harmless." Kankurou said. He suddenly peered closely at it. "What _is_ it?"

The salesman said: "That's a _Venus-Flytrap_, also known as the _Dionaea muscipula_. It lures unsuspecting prey into its mouth, where it's _devoured_."

A thin trail of yellow smoke rose up from the plant's toothy, thorny mouth.

_Bitey_ lunged forward and broke free of his shackles. He leapt right into the plant's waiting, open mouth, and the plant chomped happily.

"_Oohh_…" Emma had to be impressed. "I might call it _Jaws_, just like _Judy Moody_ did hers…"

_Bitey_ was soon no more.

Kankurou snickered. "Heh heh heh. Stupid kid. Fell for _that_ old trick…it's eat or _be eaten_ out here, girlfriend!"

Jaws suddenly opened her mouth, and produced a hamburger.

"Ooh!" Kankurou reached for it – and Jaws snapped down on his head!

Emma gasped, as Kankurou pulled himself – and the hamburger – free of the lethal plant, which was twice its normal size.

But Jaws must've decided that she liked the taste of Kankurou, or she just wanted her hamburger back, because she gave chase, hopping around in circles in her pot after a terrified Kankurou.

"Life's just one big _Simpsons Movie_ for us." Emma muttered. Her mobile phone suddenly rang, and she answered it. She spoke softly for a minute, before hanging up and smiling, just as Kankurou came over.

"Who was that?" Kankurou wanted to know, as he dusted himself off.

"Home Buyers." Emma replied. "Umm…Kanky-Chan…where's the plant?"

Kankurou patted his belly. "As I said, it's eat or _be eaten_." He glanced at her. "Home Buyers, did you say?"

Emma nodded.

"What did they want?"

"Oh, nothing much." Emma grinned and turned to the salesman. "So," She said, pulling out a cheque book and writing a figure. "Will cheque be alright?"

Kankurou and the salesman stared at her, and the parrot started to sing: _You are my sun shine, my only sun shine…_ (I don't own that song)…

**MEG: This is getting confusing. But we're drawing to a close, peoples, so be prepared!**

**Shino: The insect died. I'm too sad to do a glossary.**

**Zaku: Then **_**I'll**_** do one, because I just got resurrected! I need some recognition!**

**Kin: Well hey, so do I, Zaku-Kun!**

**Both: Halvsies!!!**

**1 **_**Fugu**_** is the Japanese word for Blowfish, or Pufferfish. Only their spikes are poisonous, when they blow themselves up like a balloon, but they bite too.**

**2 Puftup was the enemy **_**fugu**_** on Donkey Kong Country II: Diddy's Kong Quest. He was always exploding and then his pins would go flying everywhere…**

**3 Meg: Well, in Bali once, in 2005, at the Bali Rani Hotel…see, there were all of these big black fish in the Lotus Pond. Do fish normally eat crackers? Well, these guys did – in **_**earnest**_**. They swarmed like crazy, and I swear they were either Carp or Indonesian Piranai (in my world, Piranai is the plural for Piranha, just like Bananai is for Banana…) Anyways, those fish did what I wrote here. Swarmed…moving on…**

**4 A Chatot is a parrot-like Pokemon, that mimics human-speech and stuff. In Sinnoh, you can only find it during the day.**

**5.1/2/3 Half of these are made up.**

**The parrot one is.**

**There's nor such thing as a Chatter Monkey (that **_**I**_** know of…)**

**6 Rupee was the curencey in The Legend Of Zelda.**

**Green is one.**

**Blue is five.**

**Red is twenty.**

**Purpley-Pink is fifty.**

**Silver is two hundred.**

**And yellow is five hundred (ka-ching!)**

**7 The first part is made up, but the second part is earwigs' scientific name. And no, they don't have poison (they just act like scorpions) but yes, they **_**do**_** have nippers on their rear-ends. They **_**wriggle**_** to get around, and it's scary. They're so **_**little**_**, and they get on your clothes and stuff…eeekkk!!!**


	27. Here I Am…

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Here I Am…

_I got SO MUCH inspiration and quotes and stuff from The Simpsons, so I don't take credit for those parts. I just added stuff, but it's not really mine. Okay?_

_LAST CHAPTER…_

"_I want a bird!" Emma declared._

"_WHAAAAAAA__!!!!!?????" Kankurou dropped his hamburger into the water, and the __fugu fish__ swarmed._

_Emma stared dreamily out over the midnight blue waves, as the salty sea breeze billowed through her wood-coloured hair. "It's just a dream I've had, since I was a little girl. I always wanted a talking bird, like a parrot or something, so that I could train it and have it sit on my shoulder. You know how Kiba has Akamaru, and Shino has his bugs?"_

_Kankurou nodded, thoughtfully._

DAY THREE – D-Day Countdown, 1 Hour

_AIYEEEEE!!!!!!!!_

"Can you catch a bus by yourself?" Mari said into the payphone in The City.

"Sure can!" Ino, by herself in Fremantle, replied. "See you in a tick love!"

Inner-Ino: Why can't we all just learn MASUKIKI and transport ourselves places? Maybe it only works short distances…maybe…

Ino suddenly gasped as the bus pulled out of the car park, and she saw all of the Catholic Nuns!

"OH NO! AND I CAUGHT THE WRONG BUS!!!"

Ino managed to get where she wanted to go, however, along with everybody else except for Emma and Kankurou.

"Where _is_ she?" Neji asked. Even if he wasn't _in_ love with Emma anymore, he still cared about her. After all, she saved his life.

"She'll get here." Mari replied calmly. "They _both_ will."

"Kankurou's pretty reliable." Ino said, in between muttering Rosaries under her breath and saying the Hail Mary.

"Oh, _come on_!" Neji rolled his eyes and groaned. "We all know Kankurou's the biggest _jerk_ around! …"

Garaa glared at him, and Temari looked equally murderous.

"Or to…put it another…way…" Neji said awkwardly. "He…isn't…"

"Ino, is there _really_ such a thing as Heaven?" Hinata asked her, as Neji and Tenten argued with the Sand Siblings.

"There sure is _Hail Maru full of Grace the Lord is with thee_ a Heaven!" Ino replied, as Naruto watched at her in awe.

"Is there a _Doggy Heaven_?" Kiba spoke up, taking a seat on the steps next to Akamaru.

"Yes, and it's the most _wonderful_ place in the world." Ino looked dreamy, and moved onto the next Bead. "There are _mountains_ of bones _everywhere_…"

"And you can't turn around without sniffing another dog's butt?" Naruto supplied.

"Ah, yeah sure, why not?" Ino made the sign of the cross. "Amen. And _all_ of the good doggies are up there. _Rin-Tin-Tin, Huckleberry Hound, The Doggy Who Stole A Sausage, Balto. _And about _eight Lassies_ are up there too!"

"Is there a Doggy Hell?" Kiba asked suspiciously.

Ino paused. "Ah…well, _sure_ there is. There couldn't be a Heaven if there wasn't a _Hell_…"

"Who's in there?" Kiba wanted to know.

"Oh…" Ino sweatdropped. "Ah…_Hitler's dog_…and that dog _Nixon_ had…ah, what was his name? Chester…erm…"

"Chequers." Hinata frowned.

"Yeah, Chequers!" Ino gulped. "And one of the _Lassies_ is in there too…the mean one! … The one that…ah…mauled Timmy…"

Kiba didn't look reassured. He put a protective arm around Akamaru, as Garaa won the Rock Off and Neji had to sing the Barney Song…

Emma took Kankurou's hands in her own, as they floated above the water. '_Jaws_' the parrot glided beside them. (Emma had insisted on naming it that, in memory of the _Dionaea muscipula_…

"Kanky-Chan, baby, look at me." Emma commanded.

_Kankurou's field of vision…_

_Shoes…_

_Knees…_

_Waist…_

_Chest…_

_Scar On Neck…_

…

_Chest…_

…

_Top Of Head…_

Inner-Kankurou: Oh wait, that's too far…

Kankurou _finally_ looked up at Emma.

She was crying!

"Emi-Chan! I can't leave you! I'd miss you too much!" Kankurou cried.

"You won't have to." Emma muttered. "But…you know how in movies, people always part ways and say 'You'll always be a part of me'?"

"Emma-Sama…no!" Kankurou protested, but she suddenly grinned.

"Well mate, I don't _do_ movies!" Emma flung her arms around Kankurou's neck. "I know what Mari and Kai are already gonna do! They quit TAFE, and we sold all of our stuff! I'm coming back to stay with you!"

"Stay with you!" Jaws mimiced. "Stay with you!"

Kankurou started to cry as well, and he and Emma hugged and laughed and cried at the same time, as they and the other ninjas and two animals were enveloped by a swirling vortex of purple and blue light…


	28. Epilogue

Nobody Knows The Truth

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Epilogue

"I dunno how you did it, but you did." Iruka gave Mari and Kia their Leaf Ninja headbands. "Congratulations! You became Genin overnight!"

"You're now Genin Sand Ninja! Well done Emma-San!" Baki presented Emma with her Sand Ninja headband.

Inner-Emma: I'm so proud of myself. And Tatsujuu is proud of me too. It will be even better when I can figure out how to get Dosu back…

Kankurou kissed Emma, in front of everyone!

"Aaawww!!!" Everyone said.

"Aaawww!!!" Jaws chirped.

"Aaawww!!!" Everyone thought that was just _too_ cute!

"Aaawww!!!" Jaws trilled.

"Uh oh…" Emma muttered.

"Hinata-San, what brings you here today?"

"Well…you see…the thing is…umm…doctor I…uh…"

Three girls stood on a hill, overlooking a field. They were shrouded in darkness.

"Well girls, let's get busy planning our attack…" The indigo-eyed one whispered. "Because, after all…nobody knows _the truth_…"

THE END


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